Adhesive articles permitting damage free removal

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides adhesive articles that can be removed from surfaces without damage by having reduced or eliminated contribution of a core backing to peel force generated by the adhesive during removal. In some instances, this can be accomplished by a core that loses structural integrity in a direction normal to a plane defined by a major surface. In other instances, the contribution is reduced by compromising the interface between the core and a peelable adhesive layer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/641,812, filed 25 Feb. 2020, which is a national stage filing under35 U.S.C. 371 of PCT/US2018/047939, filed 24 Aug. 2018, which claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/550,190, filed 25 Aug.2017, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference in theirentireties herein.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to PCT Application No. PCT/US2018/047864,filed Aug. 24, 2018, which claims the benefit of provisional ApplicationNo. 62/622,387, filed Jan. 26, 2018, and provisional Application No.62/550,204, filed Aug. 25, 2017, the disclosures of which areincorporated by reference in their entirety herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to peelable adhesive articlesthat are capable of attaching or adhering to a substrate and that can beremoved from the substrate without causing damage to the substrate. Thepresent disclosure also generally relates to methods of making and usingsuch adhesive articles.

BACKGROUND

The revolutionary Command® Adhesive Strip products are a line of stretchremovable adhesive strips that hold strongly on a variety of surfaces(including paint, wood, and tile) and that remove cleanly—no holes,marks, or sticky residue. These products generally have utility inbonding to various surfaces or substrates for numerous applications.

In general, these products include a stretch release adhesivecomposition disposed on tape or other backings. Stretch releasableadhesives are high performance pressure-sensitive adhesives that combinestrong holding power with clean removal and no surface damage. Stretchreleasable adhesive products are designed to firmly adhere an article,such as a hook (to hold a picture or an article of clothing) or otherdecorative or utilitarian element, to a surface (an adherend), yetremove cleanly when pulled away from the architectural surface at a lowangle. The clean removal aspect means that a tacky and/or unsightlyresidue is not left behind on the surface after removal of the stretchrelease adhesive and that no damage to the surface occurs during theremoval process. During the process of stretch release removal, theadhesive layer typically remains adhered to the tape backing as thebacking is stretched, but releases from the surface (adherend).

Peelable adhesive technology was recently introduced into products formounting. Some exemplary commercially available peelable mountingproducts (e.g., Jimmy Hook™ products, GeckoTech™ products, Elmer'sFreestyle™ products, and Hook Um™ products) rely on both suctiontechnology and frictional or dry adhesives to generate the mountingdevice's holding power. The mounting devices include a semi-rigidplastic backing and a rigid hook, both of which are integrated as aone-piece article support. The rigid hook is permanently attached to afirst major planar surface of the semi-rigid plastic backing. The secondmajor planar surface of the backing can be adhered to a wall surface.The second major planar surface includes one or more of suctiontechnology (e.g., numerous microsuction or nanosuction elements) and/ora frictional adhesive (in which the backing is impregnated with arubber-based adhesive to increase friction between the substrate andbacking) or dry adhesive (which relies on van der Waals forces). Theentire construction can, thereafter, be removed by peeling.

SUMMARY

Existing peelable adhesive products often do not work well on varioussurfaces, including, for example, painted surfaces and rough surfaces(e.g., drywall). Additionally, the existing peelable products can havelow shear strength and thus can hold little weight or alternativelyrequire a large adhesive surface area/thickness, which can cause anincrease in the potential for damage when such products are removed froman adherend. Attempts have been made to replace existing backings withthose having lower stiffness (modulus) to reduce the peel force uponremoval. Soft, elastic backings, for example, have been shown to resultin lower peel forces which correlate with appreciable stretch (strain)of the adhesive at release. Even with advantageous modifications to thebacking materials, the present inventors recognized that certaindelicate surfaces (e.g., paper and drywall) still experienced visibledamage, particularly under circumstances in which the ability of thebacking to stretch is compromised. As such, the inventors of the presentdisclosure sought to formulate peelable mounting products and/oradhesive articles with at least one of higher shear strength, that workwell on painted or rough surfaces, and/or that are capable ofconsistently holding higher weights, all without damaging the substrateto which they are applied.

The inventors of the present disclosure recognized that the existingpeel release adhesive products could be improved or enhanced by reducingor eliminating the contribution of the backing to peel force generatedby the adhesive during removal. In some instances, this can beaccomplished by ensuring the core loses structural integrity in adirection normal to a plane defined by a major surface thereof. In otherinstances, the contribution is reduced by compromising the interfacebetween the backing and a peelable adhesive layer. By separating thepeel force from the characteristics of the backing, the adhesivearticles of the present disclosure can capitalize on myriad backingmaterials and constructions without deleteriously impacting damage freeremovability. In some instances, the enhanced construction allows theadhesive articles to hold more weight. In some embodiments, the enhancedremovability permits the adhesive articles to be used on new surfaces(e.g., delicate paper). In some embodiments, the enhanced conformabilityincreases or enhances the product performance on certain surfaces (e.g.,rough or textured surfaces such as, for example, wallpaper, drywall,etc.).

The inventors of the present disclosure also recognized that providing abacking that minimally contributes to the peel release force during theremoval process is a novel and effective method to increase performanceof the adhesive article while enhancing the damage-free features of theproduct.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an adhesive articlecomprising a first peelable adhesive layer, a second peelable adhesivelayer, and a discrete core disposed between the first and secondpeelable adhesives and defining a core plane. Either peelable adhesivelayer debonds from the core when the adhesive article is removed at anangle of greater than 35 degrees.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an adhesive articlecomprising: a first peelable adhesive layer; a second peelable adhesivelayer; a discrete core disposed between the first and second peelableadhesives, and having first and second major surfaces, wherein the coredefines a core plane coincident with the first major surface; and aplurality of adhesive contact areas each comprising an interface betweenthe first and second adhesive layers.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides an adhesive articlefor mounting an object to a surface, the article comprising: a firstadhesive layer; a second adhesive layer; a core defining a perimeter,the core disposed between the first adhesive layer and the secondadhesive layer; and a plurality of adhesive contact areas, wherein theadhesive contact areas comprise an interface between the first andsecond adhesive layers, and wherein the adhesive contact areas arelocated within the perimeter of the core.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides an object formounting to a surface, the object comprising: a hardgood having a firstmajor surface; a discrete core defining a first surface in contact withthe hardgood and a second surface opposing the first surface; and anadhesive layer bonded to both the first major surface of the hardgoodand the second surface of the core, wherein the peel release forcenecessary to remove the adhesive from the hardgood is greater than atleast one of the peel release force necessary to debond the adhesivefrom the core or the peel force necessary to delaminate the core.

In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method of using anadhesive article, comprising: contacting any of the adhesive articlesdescribed herein with an adherend surface.

As used herein, “layer” means a single stratum that may be continuous ordiscontinuous over a surface.

As used herein, the terms, “height”, “depth”, “top” and “bottom” are forillustrative purposes only, and do not necessarily define theorientation or the relationship between the surface and the intrusivefeature. Accordingly, the terms “height” and “depth”, as well as “top”and “bottom” should be considered interchangeable.

The terms “comprises” and variations thereof do not have a limitingmeaning where these terms appear in the description and claims.

The words “preferred” and “preferably” refer to embodiments of theinvention that may afford certain benefits, under certain circumstances.However, other embodiments may also be preferred, under the same orother circumstances. Furthermore, the recitation of one or morepreferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are notuseful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scopeof the invention.

As recited herein, all numbers should be considered modified by the term“about”.

As used herein, “a”, “an”, “the”, “at least one”, and “one or more” areused interchangeably. Thus, for example, a core comprising “a” patternof recesses can be interpreted as a core comprising “one or more”patterns.

Also herein, the recitations of numerical ranges by endpoints includeall numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2,2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, etc.).

As used herein as a modifier to a property or attribute, the term“generally”, unless otherwise specifically defined, means that theproperty or attribute would be readily recognizable by a person ofordinary skill but without requiring absolute precision or a perfectmatch (e.g., within +/−20% for quantifiable properties). The term“substantially”, unless otherwise specifically defined, means to a highdegree of approximation (e.g., within +/−10% for quantifiableproperties) but again without requiring absolute precision or a perfectmatch. Terms such as same, equal, uniform, constant, strictly, and thelike, are understood to be within the usual tolerances or measuringerror applicable to the particular circumstance rather than requiringabsolute precision or a perfect match.

The above summary of the present disclosure is not intended to describeeach disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the presentinvention. The description that follows more particularly exemplifiesillustrative embodiments. In several places throughout the application,guidance is provided through lists of examples, which examples can beused in various combinations. In each instance, the recited list servesonly as a representative group and should not be interpreted as anexhaustive list.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of an exemplary adhesivearticle of the type generally described herein;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the adhesive article of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 3A-3C are photographs of an adhesive article generally of the typeidentified in FIGS. 1 & 2 being removed from the surface of an adherend;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an exemplaryadhesive article of the type generally described herein;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an exemplaryadhesive article of the type generally described herein;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of one embodiment of an exemplary adhesivearticle of the type generally described herein;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the adhesive article of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an exemplaryadhesive article of the type generally described herein;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an exemplaryadhesive article of the type generally described herein;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of an exemplaryadhesive article of the type generally described herein; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a hook used to conduct the WeightHanging Test on Exemplary adhesive articles of the present disclosure.

Layers in certain depicted embodiments are for illustrative purposesonly and are not intended to absolutely define the thickness, relativeor otherwise, or the absolute location of any component. While theabove-identified figures set forth several embodiments of the disclosureother embodiments are also contemplated, as noted in the description. Inall cases, this disclosure is presented by way of representation and notlimitation. It should be understood that numerous other modificationsand embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art, which fallwithin the scope and spirit of the principles of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments and implementations will be described in detail.These embodiments should not be construed as limiting the scope of thepresent application in any manner, and changes and modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions.Further, only some end uses have been discussed herein, but end uses notspecifically described herein are included within the scope of thepresent application. As such, the scope of the present applicationshould be determined by the claims.

The present disclosure generally relates to adhesive articles that canbe removed from a substrate, wall, or surface (generally, an adherend)without damage. As used herein, the terms “without damage” and“damage-free” or the like means the adhesive article can be separatedfrom the substrate without causing visible damage to paints, coatings,resins, coverings, or the underlying substrate and/or leaving behindresidue. Visible damage to the substrates can be in the form of, forexample, scratching, tearing, delaminating, breaking, crumbling,straining, and the like to any layers of the substrate. Visible damagecan also be discoloration, weakening, changes in gloss, changes in haze,or other changes in appearance of the substrate.

The adhesive article includes (1) one or more peelable adhesive layersadjacent to (2) a discrete core. As used herein, the term “peelable”means that the adhesive article can be removed from a substrate orsurface by peeling at angle of between about 1° and about 180°. In someembodiments, the adhesive article can be removed from a substrate orsurface by peeling at angle of between 30° to 120°. In some embodiments,the adhesive article can be removed from a substrate or surface bypeeling at angle of at least about 35°. During peel release removal, atleast a first adhesive layer detaches from or deforms the core. Theadhesive articles are thus specifically designed to mimic a“backingless” construction, where the core has little to no contributionto adhesive removal forces experienced by the adherend. The“backingless” construction provides an adhesive article with a peelforce that does not exceed the damage threshold on substrates including,for example, drywall, paint, glass, etc.

FIGS. 1 and 2 depict an exemplary embodiment of an adhesive article 100as generally described herein. The adhesive article 100 includes a core110 having first and second opposed major surfaces 111 and 112. FIG. 1depicts the adhesive article 100 in top plan view, with the core 110visible through an adhesive layer 140. In some embodiments, the adhesive140 can be generally optically clear such that the core is at leastpartially visible. In other embodiments, the adhesive layer 140 can begenerally opaque or the core may be otherwise not visually identifiablein top plan view. As seen in FIG. 2, the core 110 has a square shapedefined by an upper edge 113, a lower edge 114, and side edges 115, 116.The shape of the core 110 is not particularly limited, and can includeany suitable shape or combination of shapes. The edges 113-116 cooperateto form a core perimeter 117, which defines an identifiable boundarybetween the core and the remainder of the adhesive article 110 (e.g.,adhesive layer 140).

The core 110 exists as a distinct structural component of adhesivearticle 100 and not as material dispersed or otherwise distributed inone or both adhesive layers 140, 142. Materials forming core 110 caninclude a paper, natural or synthetic polymer films, nonwovens made fromnatural and/or synthetic fibers and combinations thereof, fabricreinforced polymer films, fiber or yarn reinforced polymer films ornonwovens, fabrics such as woven fabric formed of threads of syntheticor natural materials such as cotton, nylon, rayon, glass, ceramicmaterials, and the like, or combinations of any of these materials. Thecore 110 may also be formed of metal, metallized polymer films, orceramic sheet materials. In some embodiments, the core is a multilayeredfilm having two or more layers; in some such embodiments the layers arelaminated. For example, the core can be formed of a foam, a film, or acombination thereof with any suitable thickness, composition, andopaqueness or clarity. In other embodiments, the core may include anarrangement of discrete particles or an adhesive or other compositionhaving relatively high gel content. Exemplary materials andconstructions for the core 110 are explored in further detail below.Combinations of two or more such compositions and constructions are alsouseful in various embodiments of the present disclosure.

In the specific embodiment of FIGS. 1 & 2, the core 110 includes asingle core layer of material having a thickness “T”, though multilayeror multi-material constructions are also contemplated and describedherein. In some embodiments, the core has a thickness “T” of betweenabout 2 mils and about 100 mils. In some embodiments, the core has athickness of greater than 2 mils, greater than 5 mils, greater than 8mils, greater than 10 mils, greater than 12 mils, greater than 15 mils,greater than 20 mils, greater than 22 mils, or greater than 24 mils. Insome embodiments, the core has a thickness of less than 100 mils, lessthan 90 mils, less than 80 mils, less than 75 mils, less than 70 mils,less than 65 mils, less than 60 mils, less than 55 mils, less than 50mils, less than 45 mils, less than 40 mils, less than 38 mils, less than35 mils, less than 32 mils, less than 30 mils, less than 28 mils, orless than 25 mils.

The adhesive layer 140 extends along each side of the perimeter 117,effectively surrounding the core 110 and defining the boundary 105 ofthe adhesive article 100. The adhesive layer 140 as depicted in FIG. 1features essentially the same square shape as the core 110. In otherembodiments, the adhesive layer 140 can instead define, for example, arectangular, elliptical, or ovular shape. In other embodiments, theadhesive layer 140 extends along only the side edges 115, 116 or onlythe upper and lower edges of the core 110. In yet other embodiments, theadhesive layer 140 extends partially along a single edge, or partiallyalong multiple edges.

As depicted in of FIG. 2, the core 110 is generally rectangular incross-section, however the core may have a variety of cross-sectionalshapes. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the core 110 may be apolygon (e.g., square, tetrahedron, rhombus, trapezoid), which may be aregular polygon or not, or the cross-sectional shape of the core 110 canbe curved (e.g., round or elliptical). A first core plane 118 iscoincident with the first major surface 111, while a second core plane119 is coincident with the second major surface 112. The core planes118, 119 are depicted in parallel, but may intersect and form an obliqueangle in other embodiments.

Each of the major surfaces 111, 112 are adjacent to peelable adhesivelayers 140 and 142. Peelable adhesive layers 140 and 142 can be the sameas one another or different from one another. Adhesive layers 140 and142 can each be a single layer or can be multilayer. Adhesive layers 140and 142 can each be continuous or discontinuous (e.g., patterned) acrossthe major surfaces of the core 110. Each of adhesive layers 140 and 142include opposed major surfaces 141, 145, respectively. An availableadhesive area for the article is defined by the length and width of theopposed major surfaces 141, 145 of each adhesive layer (here larger thanthe first major surface 111 of the core 110). The available adhesiveareas of the major surfaces 141, 145 are used to couple the adhesivearticle 100 to, for example, a wall surface or a hardgood.

The portions of adhesive layers 140 and 142 that are coextensive withthe major surfaces 111, 112 of the core are separated by the thickness“T”. The core 110 is thus discrete from the adhesive layers 140, 142 andincludes a defined and identifiable geometry, as described above. Thethickness of the adhesive layer(s) is not particularly limited, but istypically substantially continuous across at least the major surfaces ofthe core. In presently preferred implementations, the thickness of theadhesive layer is no greater than 95% of the core thickness “T”, nogreater than 90%, no greater than 80%, no greater than 75%, no greaterthan 60%, no greater than 50%, no greater than 40%, no greater than 30%,no greater than 20%, and in some embodiments no greater than 10% of thecore thickness “T”. In typical embodiments, one or both adhesive layers140, 142 have a thickness of between about 1 mil and about 3 mils.

In certain implementations, the thickness of a given adhesive layer 140,142 on the major surfaces of the core 110 can be greater than thecombined thickness of the adhesive layers at an adhesive interface 150,as described below.

Contact between the first adhesive layer and the first major surface 111of the core defines a first core interface 120. Similarly, contactbetween the second adhesive layer 142 and second major surface 112defines a second core interface 122 opposing the first core interface120. In some embodiments, the first and second interfaces 120, 122include an area of adhesive contact with the core of at least about 5%;at least about 10%, at least about 25%; at least about 30%; at leastabout 35%; at least about 40%; at least about 45%; at least about 50%;at least about 55%; at least about 60%; at least about 65%; at leastabout 70%; at least about 75%; or at least about 80%. In someembodiments, the first and second core interfaces include an area ofadhesive contact between the adhesive layer 140, 142 and the core ofbetween about 10% and about 100%. In some embodiments, the first andsecond core interfaces 120, 122 include an area of adhesive contactbetween the adhesive layer 140, 142 and the core of between about 40%and about 90%. The area of adhesive contact for each core interface 140,142 may be the same or different. In some embodiments, including thosewith a hardgood mounted to the first peelable adhesive layer 140, thearea of adhesive contact at the first core interface 140 is greater thanthe area of adhesive contact at the second core interface 142. In otherembodiments, the second the area of adhesive contact at the second coreinterface 142 is greater than the area of adhesive contact at the secondcore interface 140.

Major surfaces of the adhesive layers 140, 142 that are not displaced bythe core 110 are bonded together to form an adhesive interface 150. Inthe embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the adhesive interfaces 150define a seam surrounding the perimeter of core 110. The adhesiveinterfaces 150 rests in a plane generally parallel to the core planes118, 119, but can be coplanar with either core plane 118, 119 in otherimplementations.

The materials making up the core 110 and adhesive layers 140, 142 areselected so that the bond at the adhesive interface 150 is strongerthan: 1) the bond strength at or near the first and/or second coreinterfaces 120, 122; 2) the structural integrity (e.g., cohesivestrength) of the core 110 in a direction substantially perpendicular tothe core plane 118; or 3) combination thereof. The bond at the adhesiveinterface 150 may be cohesive (in embodiments featuring the samepeelable adhesive in adhesive layers 140, 142), adhesive, orcombinations thereof.

The relationship between the core interface and the adhesive interfacecan be expressed as a Peel Ratio, which is defined as the peel strength(oz/in²) at the adhesive interfaces compared to the peel strength at thecore interface(s). In some embodiments, the Peel Ratio can be at least1.15:1; in some embodiments at least 1.25:1; in some embodiments atleast 1.5:1; in some embodiments at least 2:1; in some embodiments atleast 3:1; in some embodiments at least 5:1; in some embodiments atleast 10:1; in some embodiments at least 15:1; in some embodiments atleast 20:1.

In certain embodiments, the material for the core 110 is selected sothat it forms a relative weak bond with either or both adhesive layers140, 142.

Alternatively, one or both major surfaces 111, 112 of the core 110 mayinclude a release material to reduce or minimize the bond strength atthe core interface. Suitable release materials include, but are notlimited to, low surface energy materials such as silicones, epoxysilicones cured by photo-acid generated crosslinking, fluorosilicones,silicone acrylates, perfluoropolyether and other fluorochemicalmaterials, olefin materials, long-chain hydrocarbon-functionalmaterials, and copolymers and mixtures thereof. In other embodiments, adeadening layer is applied over at portion of the core interface. Thedeadening material decreases or eliminates the adhesiveness of theadhesive at the core interface. Exemplary deadening materials include,for example, glass bubbles, a film, a clear ink, a liquor, and/or anadhesive with lower adhesion properties. In some embodiments, anadhesive in the core interface is treated in a way that decreases oreliminates its adhesiveness. Some exemplary treatments include, forexample, radiation, UV exposure, e-beam, or other means to crosslink ordetackify the adhesive.

In other embodiments, the material or construction of the core isselected so that it delaminates, fails cohesively, or otherwiseseparates upon application of force generated on the adhesive articleduring removal.

Even in embodiments featuring a destructible core, the core 110 canstill provide sufficient strength along the general plane of itsseparation so that, depending on the specific application, thestructural integrity of the core will not fail based on the use of theadhesive article 100 for mounting an object on a mounting surface. Thecore 110 can advantageously provide an internal static shear strength ina direction parallel to the core planes 118, 119 sufficient forsupporting an object and providing a level of resiliency to the article100.

FIGS. 3A-3C depict the removal of an article 100 positioned between ahard film 190 and an adherend 180. As depicted in FIGS. 3A-3C, when thearticle 100 is removed from the adherend at a peel angle exceeding 35degrees, the adhesive layer 140 decouples from at least a portion of thebulk of core 110. This can occur due to an adhesive bond failure at thefirst core interface 120, or can occur due to degradation (e.g.,cohesive failure or delamination) of the core material at the firstmajor surface 111 or otherwise within the body of core 110. For exampleand as shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C, if the core 110 includes a nonwovenmaterial, the peel removal force may cause fibers or filaments in thenonwoven material at the core interface to become dislodged from theremainder of the core 110 or cause the destruction of the core 110 inthe general direction of the core thickness (i.e., in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to one or both the core planes 118, 119 (notshown in FIGS. 3A-3C)). Without wishing to be bound by theory, thedebonding or degradation at one or both of the core interfaces serves toat least reduce or potentially eliminate the contribution of the core110 to the peel force, allowing the adhesive layer(s) to stretchindependently and reduce potential damage to the adherend. In someembodiments, the aggressiveness of the peelable adhesive layer(s) 140,142 can be chosen so that the core separation or degradation occursprior to delamination of the adhesive interfaces 150 (not shown in FIGS.3A-3C) or to separation of the bond between the requisite peelableadhesive layer and an adherend or hardgood.

FIG. 4 depicts another embodiment of an adhesive article 200 accordingto the present disclosure. Like adhesive article 100 of FIGS. 1-2, theadhesive article 200 includes a core 210, a first peelable adhesivelayer 240 and a second peelable adhesive layer 242. The core 210includes first and second major surfaces 211, 212 adjacent to first andsecond adhesive layers 240, 242. Contact between the first adhesivelayer 240 and the first major surface 211 of the core defines a firstcore interface 220. Similarly, contact between the second adhesive layer242 and second major surface 212 defines a second core interface 222opposing the first core interface 220. Article 200 differs from adhesivearticle 100 in that article 200 includes a multilayer core 210.

Multilayer core 210 may include a backing 260 and one or more skinlayers 270 coupled to or otherwise disposed on opposed major surfaces ofthe backing 260. As depicted, the multilayer core includes two skinlayers 270 and 272. In certain embodiments, the backing 260 is astretchable film layer. For example, the backing 260 can be in the formof a foam, a film, or a combination thereof with any suitable thickness,composition, and opaqueness or clarity. The backing 260 can be a singlelayer of film, a single layer of foam, multiple layers of film, multiplelayers of foam, multiple layers of foam and film, and/or single ormultiple layers of adhesive. In particular embodiments, the core 210includes the multilayer films as described in PCT Application No.US2017/016039 (Runge et al.), incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. Skin layers 270 and 272 can be the same as one another ordifferent from one another. Each of the layers within skin layers 270,272 can be a single layer or can be multilayer.

In certain embodiments, the backing 260 includes a material having asubstantially higher stiffness or modulus than either or both skinlayers 270, 272. The use of a stiffer backing 260 can provide structuralsupport to the core 210 to e.g., improve shear holding behavior, and mayalso be selected to influence removal characteristics such as peelremoval angle and peel removal rate. In some embodiments, the highstiffness region has a stiffness that is at least about 5% greater thanthe stiffness in a low stiffness region of the adhesive mountingassembly. The stiffness of the backing 260 (or any layer describedherein) is defined by the combination of thickness and Young's modulus.Exemplary Young's Modulus's of backings described herein are betweenabout 100 PSI and about 15,000 PSI. As used herein, the term “highstiffness” refers to a layer or arrangement of material having astiffness that is at least about 5% greater than a skin layer. In someembodiments, the high stiffness backing 260 has a stiffness that isbetween about 5% and about 10,000% greater than the stiffness in a skinlayer. In some embodiments, the high stiffness region has a stiffnessthat is at least 50% greater, at least 100% greater, and in someembodiments a least 1000% greater than the stiffness in either or bothskin layers 270, 272. In some embodiments, the backing 260 has a Young'smodulus of between about 660 PSI and about 2000 PSI. In someembodiments, the skin layer(s) 270, 272 have a Young's modulus ofbetween about 600 PSI to about 1500 PSI. In another embodiment, the highstiffness skin layer 270, 272 has a stiffness that is between about 5%and about 10,000% greater than the stiffness in the backing 260.

FIG. 5 depicts another embodiment of an adhesive article 300 accordingto the present disclosure, featuring a core 310 designed for internalseparation upon removal of the article 300 from an adherend. Likeadhesive articles 100 and 200, the adhesive article 300 includes a core310, a first peelable adhesive layer 340 and a second peelable adhesivelayer 342. The core 310 includes first and second major surfaces 311,312 adjacent to the first and second adhesive layers 340, 342. Contactbetween the first adhesive layer 340 and the first major surface 311 ofthe core defines a first core interface 320. Similarly, contact betweenthe second adhesive layer 342 and second major surface 312 defines asecond core interface 322 opposing the first core interface 320. Thecore 310 includes a separable connector 360 between first and secondbacking layers 310 a, 310 b. The separable connector 360 includes afirst separable connecting member 362 disposed on the second majorsurface of the first backing layer 310 a, and a second separableconnecting member 364 disposed on the second major surface of secondbacking layer 310 b. The first and second separable connecting members362 and 364 are engageable with each other to form a separableconnection, thereby detachably connecting the core backing layers: theflexible the first separable connecting member 362 remains with thefirst core backing 310 a and the second separable connecting member 364remains with the second core backing 310 b after separation of theseparable connector 360.

The separable connector 360 can include any known or developed reusableconnector for connecting the core backing layers. The separableconnector 360 permits the separation and connection of the first andsecond core backing layers 310 a, 310 b along a general plane. In someembodiments, the separable connector 360 can include, for example, amechanical type fastener including an interlocking system, anintermeshing system having connection without macroscopic mechanicaldeformation or interference, a releasable contact responsive fastener, asplittable construction, and the like. In other embodiments, theseparable connector 360 includes one or more layers of an adhesive, gel,or gel adhesive bound by covalent bonding, ionic bonding, hydrogenbonding, and/or van der Waals forces.

In some embodiments, the first separable connecting member 362 caninclude a layer of hook material which is bonded with the first corebacking layer 310 a at a second major surface thereof, and the secondseparable connecting member 364 can include a layer of loop materialwhich is bonded with the second core backing 310 b at a second majorsurface thereof. It is contemplated that any commercially available hookand loop connector system, including those available from 3M Company,can be utilized. Hook and loop connector systems are but one type ofmechanical interlocking connector systems which are suggested by thisembodiment. By mechanical interlocking, it is meant those fastenerswhere at least one of the connector elements undergoes some macroscopicdeformation (preferably plastic deformation) so that a mechanicalinterference results between plural components. Many differentmodifications of the inter-engaging elements are designed based on therequisite force and manner of separation between the cooperating layersof such a separable connector system. Some exemplary separableconnectors are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,572,945;7,781,056; 6,403,206; and 6,972,141, all of which are incorporated byreference in their entirety herein.

The area of connection and the type of the separable connector 360 canbe selected so that the force required to separate the core backinglayers 310 a, 310 b is substantially lower than that required to removethe peel adhesive layer from an adherend or rupture the bond at anadhesive interface 350. Such a force may be applied in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the general plane of the connector 360.In some embodiments, the separable connecting members 362, 364 can bechosen so that the separable connector 360 separates, compromising thestructural integrity of the core 310, prior to delamination of theadhesive interface 350 or to separation of the bond between the peelableadhesive layer and the adherend.

Under certain circumstances, the separable connector can bereconstituted for reuse even after separation during peel removal. Forexample, separable connecting member 362, 364 can be realigned andpressure applied across a major surface to cause another mechanicalinterlocking. As another example, a separable connector featuring one ormore layers of adhesive and/or gel can allow for one or more of thebonds (e.g., ionic, Van der Waals) to reform.

The separable connector 360 can provide sufficient strength along thegeneral plane of its separation so that, depending on the specificapplication, the separable connector 360 will not separate based on theuse of the adhesive article for mounting an object on a mountingsurface. The separable connector 360 can provide an internal staticshear strength in a direction parallel to the general plane forsupporting the mounted object (e.g., a hardgood).

An adhesive article according to another embodiment of the presentdisclosure is depicted in FIGS. 6 & 7. The adhesive article 400 includesan adhesive layer 440 that is coextensive with a core 410. The coreincludes a first major surface 411, with upper edge 413, lower edge 414,and side edges 415, 416 cooperating to form a perimeter. The core 410includes an array of apertures 470 extending through the thickness “T”of the core material. In some embodiments, the core 410 includes anarranged pattern of apertures 470. An “arranged pattern” is a pluralityof features (e.g., apertures, recesses, channels, etc.) arranged atpredetermined positions, arranged with some degree of regularity, orarranged in any desired manner. The apertures 470 in core 410 arearranged in a grid array, but other patterns and arrangements arepossible. In some embodiments, the apertures 470 are distributed as aperiodic array across a core surface (e.g., a one-dimensional array or atwo-dimensional array, for example a square array, hexagonal, or otherregular array). For example, the arranged pattern of apertures caninclude an arranged row pattern, an arranged lattice pattern such as anarranged square lattice pattern, an arranged zigzag pattern, or anarranged radial pattern. The arranged pattern need not be formed evenlyon the entire surface but may be formed in only a portion of the coresurface. The pattern of apertures may vary or remain the same over anyportion of the article. For example, similar or different patterns canbe used within the same plane. The apertures within the pattern can beof similar size and shape or can have different sizes and shapes.

A Cartesian x-y-z coordinate system is included in FIGS. 6 & 7 forreference purposes. The first and second major surfaces 411, 412 extendgenerally parallel to the x-y plane, and the thickness of the core 410corresponds to the z-axis. The array of apertures 470 includes atransverse direction, generally along the x-axis and a longitudinaldirection, generally along the y-axis. The pitch between adjacentapertures 470 in an array or pattern may be the same in both thetransverse direction and longitudinal direction. The arranged patternincludes a defined spacing or pitch between adjacent apertures 470. Theconfiguration of apertures in any given region can be chosen so that thepitch 471 (i.e., the average centroid to centroid distance betweenadjacent features) is at least 0.5 millimeters, in other embodiments atleast 1 millimeter, in other embodiments at least 5 millimeters, inother embodiments at least 15 millimeters, in other embodiments at least20 millimeters, in other embodiments at least 25 millimeters, and in yetother embodiments at least 30 millimeters. In certain embodiments, thepitch is no greater than 70 millimeters, in some embodiments no greaterthan 60 millimeters, in some embodiments no greater than 50 millimeters,and in certain embodiments no greater than 45 millimeters.

The apertures 470 can take the form of any shape. The illustratedembodiment of the core 410 comprises a plurality of circular openings472. Non-limiting examples of shapes that are suitable for apertureopenings 472 include circles, triangles, squares, rectangles, and otherpolygons. Similarly, the three-dimensional geometry of the apertures 470is not particularly limited so long as the aperture extends through thecore 410 and can include circular cylindrical; elliptical cylindrical;cuboidal, e.g., square cube or rectangular cuboid; conical; truncatedconical and the like. Regardless of cross-sectional shape, each aperture470 comprises a largest cross-sectional dimension at the opening 472.The size of the largest cross-sectional dimension is not particularlylimited. The largest cross-section can be, in exemplary embodiments, nogreater than 80 millimeters, in some embodiments no greater than 70millimeters, and in some embodiments no greater than 60 millimeters. Thelargest cross-sectional dimension may be at least 0.5 millimeters, inother embodiments at least 1 millimeter, in other embodiments at least 5millimeters, in some embodiments at least 10 millimeters, in someembodiments at least 15 millimeters, and in some embodiments at least 20millimeters.

As depicted, the apertures 470 are discrete along both the transverseand longitudinal directions. In other embodiments, the apertures 470 canbe discrete along one direction, such that the apertures resemblechannels in the core, or may extend diagonally (relative to theorientation shown in FIG. 6) across the major surfaces 411, 412 of thecore. Such channels can follow any desired path and can be continuousacross a surface of the core in a given direction or discontinuous.

The adhesive layers 440, 442 contact to form a plurality of adhesiveinterfaces 450 within the volume of the apertures 470. As depicted inFIG. 7, each aperture 470 in a line of the array includes an adhesiveinterface 450. Though a one-to-one ratio of aperture to interface may bepreferred in certain circumstances, other embodiments of the presentdisclosure may include an adhesive interface 450 in less than allavailable apertures 470. In other embodiments, the adhesive layers maynot create an adhesive interface in any of the apertures 470.

The first and second peelable adhesive layers 440, 442 are depicted inFIGS. 6 and 7 as covering the interstitial space on the majors surfaces411, 412 of core between apertures 470. In other embodiments, theadhesive layers can cover a less than continuous portion of theinterstitial space, or may cover only the interstitial space immediatesurrounding the opening or base of the aperture 470. In yet otherembodiments, one or both adhesive layers exist only within the aperture470, such that both a core interface and adhesive interface are locatedwithin the volume of an aperture. In typical embodiments, the adhesivelayers 440, 442 do not occupy all available volume within a givenaperture.

The plurality of adhesive interfaces 450 exists within the perimeter ofthe core 410 and in a plane generally parallel to and offset from thefirst and second core planes 418, 419. The core 410 of article 400 maybe combined with features of the adhesive articles 100-300 in otherimplementations, such that articles include adhesive interfaces bothwithin the perimeter and extending outside the core perimeter.

Typically, one or both adhesive layers 440, 442 are laminated orotherwise coupled to the core 410 after apertures 470 are created in thecore material. Apertures may be created by any known method for removingmaterial from a structure, such as die cutting, laser cutting, stamping,and the like. In other embodiments, the core 410 may be extruded toinclude apertures as described in US Publication Nos. 2017/0022339(Hanschen et al.) and 2016/0002838 (Ausen et al.), all of which areincorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional representation of an exemplary embodimentof an adhesive article 500 of the type generally described herein thatincludes a hardgood. Adhesive article 500 includes a hardgood 590, acore 510 and adhesive layers 540, 542. The core 510 can be any of thematerials and constructions described herein. The specific hardgood 590shown in FIG. 8 includes a hook 596 extending from a first major surface592 both of which are opposite and spaced apart from a second majorsurface 594. Additional details regarding suitable hardgoods can befound below. Second major surface 594 of hardgood 590 is adjacent to amajor surface 545 of the second adhesive layer 542, creating a hardgoodinterface 598. Contact between the second adhesive layer 542 and secondmajor surface 512 defines a core interface 524 opposing the hardgoodinterface 598. Likewise, contact between the second adhesive layer 542and first adhesive layer defines a plurality of adhesive interfaces 550opposing the hardgood interface 598.

FIG. 9 depicts another exemplary embodiment of an adhesive article 600of the type generally described herein including a hardgood 690 andfeaturing a single peelable adhesive layer 640. The adhesive articleincludes a core 610 mounted to a hardgood 690 via adhesive layer 640.The core 610 can be any of the materials and constructions describedherein. A second major surface 694 of hardgood 690 is adjacent to asecond major surface 643 of the first adhesive layer 640, creating ahardgood interface 698 generally coplanar with core plane 619. Contactbetween the first adhesive layer 640 and first major surface 611 definesa core interface 620 disposed above the hardgood interface 698. Thefirst major surface 641 of the adhesive layer 640 can be coupled to thedesired adherend (e.g., wall surface, cabinet surface, etc.). The bondstrength at the hardgood interface 698 is preferably stronger than: 1)the cohesive strength of the core; 2) the bond at the core interface620, or 3) a combination thereof. The lack of adhesive-adhesiveinterface may result in the near complete degradation and/or disassemblyof adhesive article 600 upon removal from the hardgood (or the mountingsurface). This may be nevertheless acceptable under circumstances wherethe user can accept disposing of each constituent element of adhesivearticle 600 separately.

FIG. 10 depicts another exemplary embodiment of an adhesive article ofthe type generally described herein including a hardgood 790, anapertured core 710 and a single peelable adhesive layer 740. The core710 can be any of the materials and constructions described herein andincludes an arranged array of apertures 770 extending through thethickness “T” of the core material. A second major surface 794 ofhardgood 790 is affixed to the first adhesive layer 740, creating aplurality of hardgood interfaces 798 in a plane generally parallel ifnot coplanar with core plane 719 within at least some of the apertures770. Contact between the adhesive layer 740 and first major surface 711defines a core interface 720 disposed in a plane above the hardgoodinterfaces 798. The first major surface 741 of the adhesive layer 740can be used to fix the article 700 to the desired adherend (e.g., wallsurface, cabinet surface, etc.). The bond strength at the plurality ofhardgood interfaces 798 is preferably stronger than: 1) the cohesivestrength of the core 710; 2) the bond at the core interface 720, or 3) acombination thereof. The increase in the number of adhesive-hardgoodinterfaces within the core perimeter may improve the separation of thecore 710 from the adhesive layer 740 during peel removal, ensuring theadhesive can sufficiently stretch to avoid demonstrable damage.

Core Material

The core is part of the adhesive construction and interferes with theinterfacial bonding of portions of otherwise adjacent adhesive layers.The core material can be selected provide a low energy surface to alloweasy separation between the core and the peelable adhesive. The core canbe a single layer or a multilayer construction. More than one core layercan be present in the core. Multiple core layers can be separated bylayers of film, which may further contain one or more layers. In someembodiments, the core includes at least one of plastic, metal, paper,nonwoven material, textile, woven material, foam, adhesive, gel, and/ora filament reinforced material. In some embodiments, the core is atleast one of a single layer of material or a multilayer film. In otherembodiments, the core can be an arrangement of particles disposedbetween adjacent adhesive layers.

In some embodiments, two or more sub-layers can be co-extruded so as toform the core. In some embodiments, the core is flexible. Someembodiments include dyes or pigments in the core. Some embodimentsinclude at least one tackifier in at least one layer of the core. Someembodiments include a plasticizing oil in one or more layers of thecore.

The core can be made of any desired material or materials.Representative examples of materials suitable for the core can include,for example, polyolefins, such as polyethylene, including high densitypolyethylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene,and linear ultralow density polyethylene, polypropylene, andpolybutylenes; vinyl copolymers, such as polyvinyl chlorides, bothplasticized and unplasticized, and polyvinyl acetates; olefiniccopolymers, such as ethylene/methacrylate copolymers, ethylene/vinylacetate copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene copolymers, andethylene/propylene copolymers; acrylic polymers and copolymers;polyurethanes; and combinations of the foregoing. Mixtures or blends ofany plastic or plastic and elastomeric materials such aspolypropylene/polyethylene, polyurethane/polyolefin,polyurethane/polycarbonate, polyurethane/polyester, can also be used.

In some embodiments, the core is or includes a composite foam thatincludes a flexible polymeric foam layer, a first film laminated to afirst major surface of the foam layer, and a second film laminated to asecond, opposite major surface of the foam layer. Adhesive(s) can beattached to the films to form a structure ofadhesive-film-foam-film-adhesive. The flexible polymeric foam layer canbe chosen to optimize conformability and resiliency properties which arehelpful when an adhesive article is to be adhered to surfaces havingsurface irregularities. Such is the case with a typical wall surface. Anexemplary flexible polymeric foam layer is commercially available underthe trade designation “Command” from Minnesota Mining and ManufacturingCompany (“3M”) of St. Paul, Minn. In some embodiments, the flexiblepolymeric foam layer of the core can include polyolefin foams which areavailable under the trade designations “Volextra” and “Volara” fromVoltek, Division of Sekisui America Corporation, Lawrence, Mass. In someembodiments, the core is or includes a metal or is metal-like. In someembodiments, the core is or includes wood or is wood-like.

The core can be or include any of the materials or backings described inany of the following patent applications, all of which are incorporatedin their entirety herein, PCT Application No. US2018/024347 and WOPublication Nos. 2015/195344, 2017/136432, and 2018/039584.

In various embodiments, the core can be fabricated or produced frommicrostructured tape materials described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.8,530,021 to Bartusiak et al.

In some embodiments, the core may include the patterned cores describedin 3M Attorney Case No. 79768WO004, entitled “Adhesive ArticlesPermitting Damage Free Removal”, filed contemporaneously herewith.

The core can be any desired shape including, for example, square,rectangle, triangular, polygon, circular, quadrilateral, trapezoidal,cylindrical, half-circular, star-shaped, half-moon shaped, tetrahedral,etc.

The core can be substantially non-stretchable or elastic. In someembodiments, the core material has a storage modulus of between about15×10³ Pa and about 2.5×10⁶ Pa at 25 degrees Celsius. In someembodiments, the core material has a tan δ (where tan δ is the lossmodulus divided by the storage modulus) of between about 0.4 and about1.2 at 25 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the core has a glasstransition temperature of between about −125 and about 40 degreesCelsius. In other embodiments, the core material has a stress relaxationbetween 10% and 100% after 10 seconds.

In some embodiments, the core exhibits an elastic recovery of 1-99% at10% strain. In some embodiments, the core exhibits an elastic recoveryof 1-99% at 20% strain. In some embodiment of the disclosure, the corematerial has an elongation at break of greater than 50% in at least onedirection. In some embodiment of the disclosure, the core material hasan elongation at break of between about 50% and about 1200% in at leastone direction.

In some embodiments, the core has a Young's modulus of between about 100psi and about 100,000 psi.

In some embodiments, the core exhibits an elastic recovery of 1-100% at10% strain as measured by ASTM D5459-95. In some embodiments, the coreexhibits an elastic recovery of 1-100% at 20% strain.

In some embodiments, the core has a modulus of elasticity and/or amodulus of secant of between about 100 psi and about 15,000 psi asdetermined by at least one of ASTM D638-14 and ASTM D412-06a. In someembodiments, the core has a modulus ranging between 100 psi and 15000psi. In some embodiments the modulus is greater than 100 psi, greaterthan 500 psi, greater than 1000 psi. In some embodiments the coremodulus is less than 15000 psi, less than 10000 psi, less than 8,000psi, less than 5,000 psi, less than 3,500 psi, less than 2000 psi, andless than 1500 psi.

In some embodiments, the core has a thickness of between about 0.1 milsand about 100 mils. In some embodiments, the core has a thickness ofgreater than 1 mil, greater than 5 mils, greater than 8 mils, greaterthan 10 mils, greater than 12 mils, greater than 15 mils, greater than20 mils, greater than 22 mils, or greater than 24 mils. In someembodiments, the core has a thickness of less than 100 mils, less than90 mils, less than 80 mils, less than 75 mils, less than 70 mils, lessthan 65 mils, less than 60 mils, less than 55 mils, less than 50 mils,less than 45 mils, less than 40 mils, less than 38 mils, less than 35mils, less than 32 mils, less than 30 mils, less than 28 mils, or lessthan 25 mils.

Nonwovens

In some presently preferred embodiments, the core includes a nonwovensubstrate. The nonwoven substrate can be a nonwoven fabric or webmanufactured by any of the commonly known processes for producingnonwoven webs. As used herein, the term “nonwoven” refers to a fabricthat has a structure of individual fibers or filaments which arerandomly and/or unidirectionally interlaid in a mat-like fashion, butnot in an identifiable manner as in a knitted fabric. Nonwoven fabricsor webs can be formed from various processes such as meltblowingprocesses, spunbonding processes, spunlacing processes, and bondedcarded web processes, air laying processes, and wet laying processes. Insome embodiments, the core comprises multiple layers of nonwovenmaterials with, for example, at least one layer of a meltblown nonwovenand at least one layer of a spunbonded nonwoven, or any other suitablecombination of nonwoven materials. For example, the core may be aspunbond-meltbond-spunbond, spunbond-spunbond, orspunbond-spunbond-spunbond multilayer material. Or, the core may be acomposite web comprising a nonwoven layer and a film layer.

“Meltblowing”, as used herein, means a method for forming a nonwovenfibrous web by extruding a molten fiber-forming material through aplurality of orifices in a die to form fibers while contacting thefibers with air or other attenuating fluid to attenuate the fibers intofibers, and thereafter collecting the attenuated fibers. An exemplarymeltblowing process is taught in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,624(Berrigan et al.). “Meltblown fibers” means fibers prepared by ameltblowing or meltblown process. “Spun-bonding” and “spun bond process”mean a method for forming a nonwoven fibrous web by extruding moltenfiber-forming material as continuous or semi-continuous fibers from aplurality of fine capillaries of a spinneret, and thereafter collectingthe attenuated fibers. An exemplary spun-bonding process is disclosedin, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 to Matsuki et al. “Spun bondfibers” and “spun-bonded fibers” mean fibers made using spun-bonding ora spun bond process. Such fibers are generally continuous fibers and areentangled or point bonded sufficiently to form a cohesive nonwovenfibrous web such that it is usually not possible to remove one completespun bond fiber from a mass of such fibers. The fibers may also haveshapes such as those described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,976to Hogle et al, which describes fibers with unconventional shapes.“Carding” and “carding process” mean a method of forming a nonwovenfibrous web webs by processing staple fibers through a combing orcarding unit, which separates or breaks apart and aligns the staplefibers in the machine direction to form a generally machine directionoriented fibrous nonwoven web. Exemplary carding processes and cardingmachines are taught in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,787 to Chaplinet al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,397. “Bonded carded web” refers tononwoven fibrous web formed by a carding process wherein at least aportion of the fibers are bonded together by methods that include forexample, thermal point bonding, autogenous bonding, hot air bonding,ultrasonic bonding, needle punching, calendering, application of a sprayadhesive, and the like. Further details regarding the production andcharacteristics of nonwoven webs and laminates including nonwoven websmay be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 9,469,091 (Henke et al.),which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. “Air-laying”refers to a process in which bundles of small fibers having typicallengths ranging from about 3 to about 52 millimeters (mm) are separatedand entrained in an air supply and then deposited onto a forming screen,usually with the assistance of a vacuum supply. The randomly orientedfibers may then be bonded to one another using, for example, thermalpoint bonding, autogenous bonding, hot air bonding, needle punching,calendering, a spray adhesive, and the like. An exemplary air-layingprocess is taught in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,810 to Laursen etal. “Wet-laying” refers to a is a process in which bundles of smallfibers having typical lengths ranging from about 3 to about 52millimeters (mm) are separated and entrained in a liquid supply and thendeposited onto a forming screen, usually with the assistance of a vacuumsupply. Water is typically the preferred liquid. The randomly depositedfibers may by further entangled (e.g., hydro-entangled), or may bebonded to one another using, for example, thermal point bonding,autogeneous bonding, hot air bonding, ultrasonic bonding, needlepunching, calendering, application of a spray adhesive, and the like. Anexemplary wet-laying and bonding process is taught in, for example, U.S.Pat. No. 5,167,765 to Nielsen et al. Exemplary bonding processes arealso disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,139,940 to Berrigan etal.

Fibrous materials that provide useful nonwoven cores may be made ofnatural fibers (e.g., wood or cotton fibers), synthetic fibers (e.g.,thermoplastic fibers), or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers.Exemplary materials for forming thermoplastic fibers include polyolefins(e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, ethylene copolymers,propylene copolymers, butylene copolymers, and copolymers and blends ofthese polymers), polyesters, and polyamides. The nonwoven substrate maybe formed from fibers or filaments made of any suitable thermoplasticpolymeric material. Suitable polymeric materials include, but are notlimited to, polyolefins, poly(isoprenes), poly(butadienes), fluorinatedpolymers, chlorinated polymers, polyamides, polyimides, polyethers,poly(ether sulfones), poly(sulfones), poly(vinyl acetates), copolymersof vinyl acetate, such as poly(ethylene)-co-poly(vinyl alcohol),poly(phosphazenes), poly(vinyl esters), poly(vinyl ethers), poly(vinylalcohols), and poly(carbonates). Suitable polyolefins include, but arenot limited to, poly(ethylene), poly(propylene), poly(l-butene),copolymers of ethylene and propylene, alpha olefin copolymers (such ascopolymers of ethylene or propylene with 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene,and 1-decene), poly(ethylene-co-1-butene) andpoly(ethylene-co-1-butene-co-1-hexene). Suitable fluorinated polymersinclude, but are not limited to, poly(vinyl fluoride), poly(vinylidenefluoride), copolymers of vinylidene fluoride (such as poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), and copolymers ofchlorotrifluoroethylene (such aspoly(ethylene-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene). Suitable polyamides include,but are not limited to: poly(iminoadipoyliminohexamethylene),poly(iminoadipoyliminodecamethylene), and polycaprolactam. Suitablepolyimides include poly(pyromellitimide). Suitable poly(ether sulfones)include, but are not limited to, poly(diphenylether sulfone) andpoly(diphenylsulfone-co-diphenylene oxide sulfone). Suitable copolymersof vinyl acetate include, but are not limited to, poly(ethylene-co-vinylacetate) and such copolymers in which at least some of the acetategroups have been hydrolyzed to afford various poly(vinyl alcohols)including, poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol).

The fibers may also be multi-component fibers, for example, having acore of one thermoplastic material and a sheath of another thermoplasticmaterial. The sheath may melt at a lower temperature than the core,providing partial, random bonding between the fibers when the mat offibers is exposed to a sheath melts.

A combination of mono-component fibers having different melting pointsmay also be useful for this purpose. In some embodiments, the nonwovenfabric or web useful in the core according to the present disclosure isat least partially elastic. Examples of polymers for making elasticfibers include thermoplastic elastomers such as ABA block copolymers,polyurethane elastomers, polyolefin elastomers (e.g., metallocene polyolefin elastomers), olefin block copolymers, polyamide elastomers,ethylene vinyl acetate elastomers, and polyester elastomers. An ABAblock copolymer elastomer generally is one where the A blocks arepolystyrenic, and the B blocks are prepared from conjugated dienes(e.g., lower alkylene dienes). The A block is generally formedpredominantly of substituted (e.g., alkylated) or unsubstituted styrenicmoieties (e.g., polystyrene, poly(alphamethylstyrene), orpoly(t-butylstyrene)), having an average molecular weight from about4,000 to 50,000 grams per mole. The B block(s) is generally formedpredominantly of conjugated dienes (e.g., isoprene, 1,3-butadiene, orethylene-butylene monomers), which may be substituted or unsubstituted,and has an average molecular weight from about 5,000 to 500,000 gramsper mole. The A and B blocks may be configured, for example, in linear,radial, or star configurations. An ABA block copolymer may containmultiple A and/or B blocks, which blocks may be made from the same ordifferent monomers. A typical block copolymer is a linear ABA blockcopolymer, where the A blocks may be the same or different, or a blockcopolymer having more than three blocks, predominantly terminating withA blocks. Multi-block copolymers may contain, for example, a certainproportion of AB diblock copolymer, which tends to form a more tackyelastomeric film segment. Other elastic polymers can be blended withblock copolymer elastomers, and various elastic polymers may be blendedto have varying degrees of elastic properties. Many types ofthermoplastic elastomers are commercially available, including thosefrom BASF, Florham Park, N.J., under the trade designation “STYROFLEX”,from Kraton Polymers, Houston, Tex., under the trade designation“KRATON”, from Dow Chemical, Midland, Mich., under the trade designation“PELLETHANE”, “INFUSE”, VERSIFY”, or “NORDEL”, from DSM, Heerlen,Netherlands, under the trade designation “ARNITEL”, from E. I. duPont deNemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., under the trade designation“HYTREL”, from ExxonMobil, Irving, Tex. under the trade designation“VISTAMAXX”, and more.

For example, the fibrous nonwoven web can be made by carded, air laid,wet laid, spunlaced, spunbonding, electrospinning or melt-blowingtechniques, such as melt-spun or melt-blown, or combinations thereof.Any of the non-woven webs may be made from a single type of fiber or twoor more fibers that differ in the type of thermoplastic polymer, shape,and/or thickness; the single fiber type or at least one of the multiplefiber types may each be a multicomponent fiber as described above.

Staple fibers may also be present in the web. The presence of staplefibers generally provides a loftier, less dense web than a web of onlymelt blown microfibers. A loftier web may have reduced cohesive strengthat the core interface or the in bulk of the core itself, leading toeasier separation from one or more adhesive layers.

A nonwoven core may optionally further comprise one or more layers ofscrim. For example, either or both major surfaces may each optionallyfurther comprise a scrim layer. The scrim, which is typically a woven ornonwoven reinforcement made from fibers, is included to provide strengthto the nonwoven article. Suitable scrim materials include, but are notlimited to, nylon, polyester, fiberglass, polyethylene, polypropylene,and the like. The average thickness of the scrim can vary. The layer ofthe scrim may optionally be bonded to the nonwoven substrate. A varietyof adhesive materials can be used to bond the scrim to the substrate.Alternatively, the scrim may be heat-bonded to the nonwoven.

Useful nonwoven cores may have any suitable EFD, basis weight orthickness that is desired for a particular application. “Effective FiberDiameter” or “EFD” is the apparent diameter of the fibers in a fiber webbased on an air permeation test in which air at 1 atmosphere and roomtemperature is passed through a web sample at a specified thickness andface velocity (typically 5.3 cm/sec), and the corresponding pressuredrop is measured. Based on the measured pressure drop, the EffectiveFiber Diameter is calculated as set forth in Davies, C. N., TheSeparation of Airborne Dust and Particulates, Institution of MechanicalEngineers, London Proceedings, IB (1952). The fibers of the nonwovensubstrate typically have an effective fiber diameter of from at least0.1, 1, 2, or even 4 micrometers and at most 125, 75, 50, 35, 25, 20,15, 10, 8, or even 6 micrometers. Spunbond cores typically have an EFDof no greater than 35, while air-laid cores may have a larger EFD on theorder of 100 microns. The nonwoven core preferably has a basis weight inthe range of at least 5, 10, 20, or even 50 g/m²; and at most 800, 600,400, 200, or even 100 g/m². Basis weight is calculated from the weightof a 10 cm×10 cm sample. The minimum tensile strength of the nonwovenweb is about 4.0 Newtons in the machine direction.

The loft of core nonwovens can also be characterized in terms ofSolidity (as defined herein and as measured by methods reported herein).

Solidity is determined by dividing the measured bulk density of anonwoven fibrous web by the density of the materials making up the solidportion of the web. Bulk density of a web can be determined by firstmeasuring the weight (e.g., of a 10-cm-by-10-cm section) of a web.Dividing the measured weight of the web by the web area provides thebasis weight of the web, which is reported in g/m2. The thickness of theweb can be measured by obtaining (e.g., by die cutting) a 135 mmdiameter disk of the web and measuring the web thickness with a 230 gweight of 100 mm diameter centered atop the web. The bulk density of theweb is determined by dividing the basis weight of the web by thethickness of the web and is reported as g/m3. The Solidity is thendetermined by dividing the bulk density of the nonwoven fibrous web bythe density of the material (e.g., polymer) comprising the solidfilaments of the web. The density of a bulk polymer can be measured bystandard means if the supplier does not specify the material density.Loft is usually reported as 100% minus the Solidity (e.g., a Solidity of7% equates to a loft of 93%).

As disclosed herein, webs of Solidity from about 2.0% to less than 12.0%(i.e., of loft of from about 98.0% to greater than 88.0%) can beproduced. In various embodiments, webs as disclosed herein comprise aSolidity of at most about 7.5%, at most about 7.0%, or at most about6.5%. In further embodiments, webs as disclosed herein comprise aSolidity of at least about 5.0%, at least about 5.5%, or at least about6.0%.

Polymeric Films

In many embodiments of the present disclosure, the core may include orconsist of a polymeric film. Polymeric film core layers can be in avariety of forms including, for example, a single-layer or multi-layerfilm, a porous film, and combinations thereof. The polymeric film maycontain one or more fillers (e.g., calcium carbonate). The polymer filmcan be a continuous layer or a discontinuous layer. Multi-layer polymerfilms are preferably integrally bonded to one another in the form of acomposite film, a laminate film, and combinations thereof. Multilayerpolymeric films can be prepared using any suitable method including, forexample, co-molding, coextruding, extrusion coating, joining through anadhesive, joining under pressure, joining under heat, and combinationsthereof.

The film may comprise a single polymeric material or may be preparedfrom a mixture of polymeric materials. Examples of suitable materialsinclude polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylenenaphthalate, copolyesters or polyester blends based on naphthalenedicarboxylic acids; polycarbonates; polystyrenes;styrene-acrylonitriles; cellulose acetates; polyether sulfones;poly(meth)acrylates such as polymethylmethacrylate; polyurethanes;polyvinyl chloride; polycyclo-olefins; polyimides; or combinations orblends thereof.

Examples of materials that can be included in the core includepolyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene (including isotacticpolypropylene), polystyrene, polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, poly(ethyleneterephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), polyimide,poly(caprolactam), poly(vinylidene fluoride), polylactides, celluloseacetate, and ethyl cellulose and the like.

The polymeric film layer can be a single layer or a multilayerconstruction. More than one polymeric film layer can be present. Thepolymeric film layers can be comprised of any film-forming polymers.

In some embodiments, the polymeric film layer(s) includes at least oneof a vinylaromatic copolymer, a linear low density polyethylene, a lowdensity polyethylene, a high density polyethylene, a copolymer ofethylene and (meth)acrylate monomers, a copolymer of ethylene and(meth)acrylate monomers containing acid modifications, a copolymer ofethylene and vinyl acetate, a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetatecontaining acrylate, and/or acid modifications. In some embodiments, thefilm contains polymers from olefin monomers with between 2 and 16carbons. In some embodiments, the film is a copolymer of two or moreolefin monomers. In some embodiments, the film contains polymers fromolefin monomers with atactic, syndiotactic, or isotacticstereochemistry. In some embodiments, the film is a copolymer of one ormore olefin monomers polymerized using a metallocene catalyst. In someembodiments, the film is comprised of vinyl copolymers such aspoly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl acetate), and the like. In someembodiments, the film is a blend comprised of any of the polymers listedabove.

Exemplary suitable film materials can include SEBS, SEPS, SIS, SBS,polyurethane, ethyl vinylacetate (EVA), ultra low linear densitypolyethylene (ULLDPE), hydrogenated polypropylene, ethyl methyl acrylate(EMA), ultra low linear density polyethylene (ULLDPE), hydrogenatedpolypropylene, high density polyethylene (HDPE), low densitypolyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE, polyestersincluding polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and combinations or blendsthereof. In some embodiments, the polymeric film consists of multiplelayers of any of the polymers listed above. In particular embodiments,the multiple layers include a core layer and one or more skin layers, asdescribed in PCT Application No. US2017/016039 (Runge et al.),incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The polymer films described herein can be produced using any methodknown in the art.

Particles

In some embodiments, the core layer consists of an assortment ofparticles. The particles can be distributed in one or more core layers.In general, the particles may be solid, hollow or porous and rigid ornon-rigid. The particles may be made of any suitable material includingwood, glass, ceramics, polymers, metals, metal oxides, and carbonmaterials. The particles of the core layer are generally in the sizerange of from about 1 micron to about 100 mils. Different particles canbe distributed in different core layers. One core layer can also containmultiple compositions, types, or sizes of particles. The particles inone core layer may be of the same or different composition and surfacetreatment. The particles can be arranged in a particular shape or can bedistributed unevenly. The surface of the particles may be treated orfunctionalized to be hydrophobic or to be hydrophilic. The particles canbe agglomerated or non-agglomerated and aggregated or non-aggregated.“Agglomerate” refers to a weak association between primary particleswhich may be held together by charge or polarity and can be broken downinto smaller entities. “Aggregate” refers to strongly bonded or fusedparticles where the resulting external surface area may be significantlysmaller than the sum of calculated surface areas of the individualcomponents. The forces holding an aggregate together can include strongforces, for example, covalent bonds, or those resulting from sinteringor complex physical entanglement. An aggregate may also be held togetherby reversible or temperature dependent bonds (e.g., ionic bonds).

In some embodiments, the core includes inorganic particles. Theinorganic particles can be natural or synthetic. The term “syntheticinorganic particles” as used herein includes any particles that has beentransformed, regenerated, recrystallized, reconstituted, etc., from anoriginal state which may be its naturally occurring, mined state intoits current state by a chemical synthesis process (e.g., precipitatedfrom solution, generated by flame hydrolysis, etc.) or by a physicalsynthesis process (e.g., precipitated from a gaseous phase, solidifiedby way of a sol-gel process, etc.). The term “synthetic inorganicfiller” as used herein also includes any filler that has beensubstantially transformed from an original state (which may be itsnaturally occurring, mined state) into its current state by a physicalsynthesis process of being brought into an at least partially softenedor molten state and then solidified by cooling, such that anysubstantially crystalline structure that may have existed in the naturalstate is substantially erased such that the material is now in asubstantially amorphous form (e.g., comprising less than about 0.5percent crystallinity by weight). Such processes may include, forexample, melt processing, flame-fusion and the like. Conversely,“natural inorganic particles” is defined as a mineral that has beenextracted from the earth in its naturally occurring form, and, whilepossibly being subjected to purification and/or modification processesis used while still substantially in its naturally occurring form.

Using the definitions provided above, synthetic inorganic particlesinclude, for example, so-called glass bubbles or microspheres (such asthose available from 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn., under the tradedesignation 3M Glass Bubbles), ceramic microspheres (such as thoseavailable from 3M Company under the trade designation 3M CeramicMicrospheres), synthetic clays (e.g., synthetic silicate clays such asthose available under the trade designation Laponite from Southern ClayProducts of Gonzales, Tex.), precipitated silica, fumed silica, vitreoussilica, synthetic titanium dioxide (as made, for example, by the sulfateprocess or the chloride process), synthetic (precipitated) calciumcarbonate (as made, for example, by passing carbon dioxide through asolution of calcium hydroxide), and the like.

Suitable natural inorganic particles include calcite, witherite, rutile,anatase, ilmenite, mica, sericite, perlite, talc, limestone, silica,barite, gypsum, calcined gypsum, kaolinite, montmorillonite,attapulgite, illite, saponite, hectorite, beidellite, stevensite,sepiolite, bentonite, pyrophyllite, diatomaceous earth, and the like, aswell as mixtures thereof.

If used in the core, polymeric particles may be made of any suitablepolymeric material. Polymeric particles may be made of rigid materialsor elastomeric materials. Suitable rigid polymeric materials includethermosetting polymers, e.g., phenolic polymers, or thermoplasticpolymers, e.g., polyvinylidene chloride acrylonitrile copolymers (PVDCcopolymers). Exemplary elastomeric microspheres are described in U.S.Pat. No. 3,691,140 to Silver, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,857,731 and 4,166,152 toBaker et al. In another aspect, the fluid-filled microsphere comprises apolymer shell consisting of either acrylonitrile copolymer orpolyvinylidene chloride copolymer with a calcium carbonate coating, suchas that sold under the tradename DUALITE polymeric microspheres byHenkel.

Other exemplary particles include fused aluminum oxide, heat treatedaluminum oxide, white fused aluminum oxide, black silicon carbide, greensilicon carbide, titanium diboride, boron carbide, tungsten carbide,titanium carbide, diamond (both natural and synthetic), silica, ironoxide, chromia, ceria, zirconia, titania, silicates, tin oxide, cubicboron nitride, garnet, fused alumina zirconia, sol gel particles, andthe like, as well as mixtures thereof.

Typically, the particles used in the core have an average primary (insome embodiments, average primary and agglomerate) particle size (e.g.,diameter) of no greater than 1 micron. “Primary particle size” refers tothe largest dimension (e.g., the diameter of a spherical particle) of asingle (non-aggregated, non-agglomerated) particle. In some embodiments,the particles have an average primary (in some embodiments, averageprimary and agglomerate) particle size of no greater than 0.1 micron.

The particles can be substantially spherical in shape. However, othershapes such as elongated shapes may alternatively be employed. Examplesof such shapes include rods, triangles, platelets, pyramids, cones,solid spheres, hollow spheres and the like. Also, the particles may berandomly shaped.

Gels

If used in the core, a gel typically has a viscosity (to the extent oneis measurable) of at least 100,000 Centipoise (cps), at least 500,000cps, at least 600,000 cps and in yet other embodiments at least 700,000cps when measured at 23° C. using a Brookfield LVT viscometer. In someembodiments, the core can have a gel content (i.e., gel fraction) ofgreater than 25%, or greater than 50%, or greater than 80%, whenmeasured by extraction of soluble polymer in a suitable solvent (e.g.,heated tetrahydrofuran or toluene). In some embodiments, the gel is anadhesive as described below. The bonds or other attractive forces incertain gels may be reconstitutable after separation, allowing a gelcore to be reused even after an adhesive article has been removed froman adherend.

Thixotropic gels are particularly useful for inclusion in the corebecause they are less likely to flow under forces typically experiencedduring use of the adhesive articles of the present disclosure. Suitablegels include gels containing glycerine (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No.3,780,537 (Spencer) and U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. US 2010/0274333(Dunshee et al.)); gels containing silicone and siloxy-containingcompounds (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,795,326 (Salamone et al.));gels containing propylene glycol (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No.5,843,145 (Brink)); gels containing a crosslinked, water-absorbingpolymer such as crosslinked polyacrylamide and sodium polyacrylate (see,for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,961 (Kiamil); and hydrophilic gelsprepared from starting materials such as poly(ethylene oxide), polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyacrylamide, anionic polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol,maleic anhydride-vinylether copolymers, polyacrylic acid,ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymers, polyvinylether, dextran, gelatin,hydroxyl propyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose,hydroxyethyl-carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, propyleneglycol alginate, sodium alginate, polyethyleneimine, polyvinyl alkylpyridinium halides, polyproline, natural starches, casein, proteins,polymethacrylic acid, polyvinylsulfonic acid, polystyrene sulfonic acid,polyvinylamine, poly-4-vinylpyridine, polymerized monoesters of olefmicacids, polymerized diesters of olefinic acids, acrylamide anddifunctional polymerizable materials (e.g., diacids, diesters ordiamides), and the like.

Exemplary suitable gels are commercially available as NICKOLODEON GAK(from NSI International).

Adhesive

In some embodiments, the core includes an adhesive. In some embodiments,the core is a pressure-sensitive adhesive. A general description ofuseful pressure sensitive adhesives may be found in the Encyclopedia ofPolymer Science and Engineering, Vol. 13, Wiley-Interscience Publishers(New York, 1988). Additional description of useful pressure-sensitiveadhesives may be found in the Encyclopedia of Polymer Science andTechnology, Vol. 1, Interscience Publishers (New York, 1964). Pressuresensitive adhesive compositions are well known to those of ordinaryskill in the art to possess properties including the following: (1)tack, (2) adherence with no more than finger pressure, (3) sufficientability to hold onto an adherend, and (4) sufficient cohesive strengthto be cleanly removable from the adherend. Materials that have beenfound to function well as pressure sensitive adhesives are polymersdesigned and formulated to exhibit the requisite viscoelastic propertiesresulting in a desired balance of tack, peel adhesion, and shear holdingpower. Suitable PSAs may be based on crosslinked or non-crosslinked(meth)acrylics, rubbers, thermoplastic elastomers, silicones,polyurethanes, and the like, and may include tackifiers in order toprovide the desired tac, as well as other additives. In someembodiments, the PSA is based on a (meth)acrylic PSA or at least onepoly(meth)acrylate, where (meth)acrylate refers to both acrylate andmethacrylate groups. In some embodiments, the PSA is an olefin blockcopolymer based adhesive. Acrylic based pressure sensitive adhesives aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,982 (Traynor et al.) and in U.S. Pat.No. 5,965,256 (Barrera), for example. Silicone based pressure sensitiveadhesives are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,397 (Melancon et al.) andU.S. Pat. No. 5,082,706 (Tangney), for example. Polyurethane basedpressure sensitive adhesives are described in U.S. Pat. Appl. Pub. No.2005/0137375 (Hansen et al.), for example. Olefin block copolymer basedpressure sensitive adhesives are described in U.S. Pat. Appl. Pub. No.2014/0335299 (Wang et al.), for example.

The core may include a plurality of adhesive layers. For example, thecore may include a relatively stiff rubber based adhesive as an innerlayer, with a softer acrylic based PSA disposed between the inner corelayer and the peelable adhesive layer(s). As another example, the coremay include a relatively soft acrylic based adhesive as an inner layer,with a relatively stiffer rubber based adhesive disposed between theinner core layer and the peelable adhesive layer(s). The characteristicsof the adhesive in the core may be selected or modified to achieve thedesired properties.

If used in the core, an adhesive can be of a different composition fromthe peelable adhesive layer(s) to avoid an increase in cohesive strengthat any core-adhesive interface. Alternatively, the surface of theadhesive can be modified by release materials or deadening layer(s), asdescribed above.

Peelable Adhesive Layer(s)

The adhesives used in the adhesive articles described herein can includeany adhesive having the desired properties. In some embodiments, theadhesive is peelable. In some embodiments, the adhesive releases cleanlyfrom the surface of an adherend when the adhesive article is peeled atan angle of about 35° or less from a surface of the adherend. In someembodiments, the peelable adhesive releases from a surface of anadherend when the multilayer carrier is peeled at an angle of about 35°or greater from the adherend surface such that there are substantiallyno traces of the adhesive left behind on the surface of the adherend.

The adhesive can be, for example, any of the adhesives described in anyof the following patent applications, all of which are incorporated byreference herein: International Publication Nos. WO/2015/035556,WO/2015/035960, WO/2017/136219, WO/2017/136188 and U.S. PatentApplication No. 2015/034104, all of which are incorporated herein intheir entirety.

In some embodiments, the peelable adhesive is a pressure sensitiveadhesive. Any suitable composition, material or ingredient can be usedin the pressure sensitive adhesive. Exemplary pressure sensitiveadhesives utilize one or more thermoplastic elastomers, e.g., incombination with one or more tackifying resins. In some embodiments, theadhesive is not a pressure sensitive adhesive.

In some embodiments, the peelable adhesive layer can include at leastone of rubber, silicone, or acrylic based adhesives. In someembodiments, the peelable adhesive layer can include apressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA). In some embodiments, the peelableadhesive can include tackified rubber adhesives, such as natural rubber;olefins; silicones, such as silicone polyureas or silicone blockcopolymers; synthetic rubber adhesives such as polyisoprene,polybutadiene, and styrene-isoprene-styrene,styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene and styrene-butadiene-styrene blockcopolymers, and other synthetic elastomers; and tackified or untackifiedacrylic adhesives such as copolymers of isooctylacrylate and acrylicacid, which can be polymerized by radiation, solution, suspension, oremulsion techniques; polyurethanes; silicone block copolymers; andcombinations of the above.

Generally, any known additives useful in the formulation of adhesivesmay also be included. Additives include plasticizers, anti-aging agents,ultraviolet stabilizers, colorants, thermal stabilizers, anti-infectiveagents, fillers, crosslinkers, as well as mixtures and combinationsthereof. In certain embodiments, the adhesive can be reinforced withfibers or a fiber scrim which may include inorganic and/or organicfibers. Suitable fiber scrims may include woven-, non-woven or knit websor scrims. For example, the fibers in the scrim may include wire,ceramic fiber, glass fiber (for example, fiberglass), and organic fibers(for example, natural and/or synthetic organic fibers).

In some embodiments, the adhesive includes a tackifier. Some exemplarytackifiers include at least one of polyterpene, terpene phenol, rosinesters, and/or rosin acids.

In some embodiments, the peelable adhesive is a flowable adhesive thatcan be coated onto the backing. In some embodiments, the peelableadhesive is a more solid adhesive as is generally described in, forexample, German Patent No. 33 31 016.

In some embodiments, the peelable adhesive has a Tg of between about−125 degrees Celsius and about 20 degrees Celsius, as determined bydynamic mechanical analysis of the tan δ peak value. In someembodiments, the peelable adhesive has a Tg of between about −70 degreesCelsius and about 0 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the peelableadhesive has a Tg of between about −60 degrees Celsius and about −20degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the peelable adhesive has a Tg ofgreater than −80 degrees Celsius, greater than −70 degrees Celsius,greater than −60 degrees Celsius, greater than −50 degrees Celsius,greater than −40 degrees Celsius, or great than −30 degrees Celsius. Insome embodiments, the peelable adhesive has a Tg of less than 20 degreesCelsius, 10 degrees Celsius, 0 degrees Celsius, −10 degrees Celsius, −20degrees Celsius, or −30 degrees Celsius.

Some peelable adhesives that can be used in the adhesive articles of thepresent disclosure have a storage modulus of about 300,000 Pa orgreater, about 400,000 Pa or greater, about 500,000 Pa or greater, about1,000,000 Pa or greater at 25° C., as determined by dynamic mechanicalanalysis. In other embodiments, the adhesive has a storage modulus of1,50,000 Pa or less, 7550,000 Pa or less, 500.00 Pa or less, 400,000 Paor less, 300,000 Pa or less, or 250,000 Pa or less at 25° C., asdetermined by dynamic mechanical analysis.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the peelable adhesive on at leastone of the first or second major surfaces of the core is about 1 μm toabout 1 mm.

In some embodiments, adhesion properties of the adhesive can range from0.1 N/dm to 25 N/dm. In some embodiments, adhesion properties of theadhesive can range from 0.5 N/dm to 10 N/dm. In some embodiments,adhesion properties of the adhesive can range from 1 N/dm to 5 N/dm.

In some embodiments, the peelable adhesive can provide a sheer strengthof, for example, 1-20 pounds per square inch as measured by ASTM TestMethod D3654M-06.

In some embodiments, the peelable adhesives are tailored to achieve peelwith no or minimal damage. Exemplary methods and articles for doing soare described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,835,452, InternationalPublication Nos. WO/2018/039584 and WO/2017/136188, each incorporatedherein in their entirety.

Adhesive Article(s)

In some embodiments, the adhesive article further includes a tab. Thetab is an area that can be easily accessed by the user to assist in orbegin to release the adhesive article from the adherend. The removal tabcan be tacky from the outermost adhesive layer or non-tacky by beingcovered by layers of stretch film, non-stretch film, release liner, orfrom detackified adhesive.

In some embodiments, the adhesive article further includes one or morerelease liners. The release liner can be, for example, on either or bothof the major surfaces of the adhesive layers. The release liner protectsthe adhesive during manufacturing, transit, and before use. When theuser desires to use the adhesive article, the user can peel or removethe release liner to expose the adhesive. Examples of suitable linersinclude paper, e.g., kraft paper, or polymeric films, e.g.,polyethylene, polypropylene or polyester. At least one surface of theliner can be treated with a release agent such as silicone, afluorochemical, or other low surface energy based release material toprovide a release liner. Suitable release liners and methods fortreating liners are described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,472,480,4,980,443 and 4,736,048, and incorporated herein. Preferred releaseliners are fluoroalkyl silicone polycoated paper. The release liners canbe printed with lines, brand indicia, or other information.

In some embodiments, the adhesive articles of the present disclosure canbe removed from a substrate or surface without damage. In particularlyadvantageous embodiments, the adhesive articles can be removed from atleast one of painted drywall and wallpaper without damage.

Some adhesive articles of the present disclosure have excellent shearstrength. Some embodiments of the present disclosure have a shearstrength of greater than 1600 minutes as measured according to ASTMD3654-82. Some embodiments of the present disclosure have shear strengthof greater than 10,000 minutes as measured according to ASTM D3654-82.Some other embodiments of the present disclosure have shear strength ofgreater than 100,000 minutes as measured according to ASTM D3654-82.

Some adhesive articles of the present disclosure demonstrate a lower 90°Peel Adhesion Strength to make the adhesive article easier to remove.Others demonstrate a higher 90° Peel Adhesion Strength, yet stillprovide for damage free removal. Some adhesive articles of the presentdisclosure can have a higher 90° Peel Adhesion Strength as to permithandling of the adhesive article by the user without accidentalseparation. Some embodiments of the present disclosure have a 90° PeelAdhesion Strength between about 10 oz/in² to 300 oz/in². Someembodiments of the present disclosure have a 90° Peel Adhesion Strengthbetween about 50 oz/in² to 200 oz/in².

Some adhesive articles of the present disclosure demonstrate improvedweight bearing capacity, holding a 0.5 lbs weight for at least 24 hoursaccording to the Weight Hanging test. In other implementations, theadhesive articles of the present disclosure demonstrate hold a 0.5 lbsweight for at least 24 hours according to the Weight Hanging test. Inpresently preferred embodiments, the adhesive articles of the presentdisclosure demonstrate enhanced weight bearing capacity, holding a 0.5lbs weight for at least 72 hours according to the Weight Hanging test.

Some adhesive articles of the present disclosure have an elongation atbreak of greater than 50% in at least one direction. Some adhesivearticles of the present disclosure have an elongation at break ofbetween about 50% and about 1200% in at least one direction.

Some adhesive articles of the present disclosure have a tensile strengthat break sufficiently high so that the adhesive article will not ruptureprior to being removed from an adherend at an angle of 35° or greater.In some embodiments, the adhesive articles of the present disclosureexhibit enhanced conformability to a substrate or surface than prior artadhesive mounting articles. In some embodiments, the adhesive articlesof the present disclosure hold more weight when adhered or attached to asubstrate or surface than prior art adhesive mounting articles. In someembodiments, the adhesive articles of the present disclosure hold moreweight for a longer period of time when adhered or attached to asubstrate or surface than prior art adhesive mounting articles. In someembodiments, the adhesive articles of the present disclosure remainadhered to a textured, rough, or irregular surface for a longer periodof time than prior art adhesive mounting articles. In some embodiments,the adhesive articles of the present disclosure hold a higher amount ofweight when adhered to a textured, rough, or irregular surface thanprior art adhesive mounting articles.

In some embodiments, the adhesive article is substantially opticallyclear. Some embodiments have a light transmission of at least about 50%.Some embodiments have a light transmission of at least about 75%. Someembodiments have a haze of no greater than 40%. Some embodiments, have ahaze of no greater than 20%. Both the light transmission and the haze ofthe adhesive article can be determined using, for example, ASTMD1003-95.

In some embodiments, the adhesive article exhibits an elastic recoveryof greater than 70% or greater than 80% or greater than 95% at 10%strain. In some embodiments, the adhesive article exhibits an elasticrecovery of greater than 70% or greater than 80% or greater than 90% at25% strain. In some embodiments, the adhesive article exhibits anelastic recovery of greater than 70% or greater than 80% or greater than90% or greater than 95% at 50% strain. In some embodiments, the adhesivearticle exhibits an elastic recovery of greater than 50% or greater than70% or greater than 95% at 100% strain.

In some embodiments, the core can prevent or minimize substrate damageby reducing, minimizing, or eliminating the core material's contributionto the peel force, which aids in damage-free adhesive removal. In someembodiments, this can occur at peel angles ranging from 0-180 degrees.In some embodiments, when the final adhesive article construction ispeeled from the adherend at 90-180 degrees the core elongates less than1% during peeling. In some embodiments, when the adhesive articleconstruction is peeled from the adherend at 90-180 degrees the coreelongates less than 5% during peeling. In some embodiments, when theconstruction is peeled from the adherend at 90-180 degrees the coreelongates less than 10% during peeling. In some embodiments, when thearticle is peeled from an adherend at 90-180 degrees the core elongatesmore than 10% strain, and elastically recovers more 80% of thatdeformation. In some embodiments, when the adhesive is peeled from anadherend at 90-180 degrees the core elongates more than 10% strain, andelastically recovers more 90% of that deformation. In some embodiments,when the adhesive article is peeled from an adherend at 90-180 degreesthe core elongates more than 10% strain, and elastically recovers more95% of that deformation. In some embodiments, when the adhesive articleis peeled from an adherend at 90-180 degrees the core elongates morethan 10% strain, and elastically recovers more 99% of that deformation.

Adhesive articles of the present disclosure can advantageously provideenhanced weight bearing capability with a reduction or elimination ofsubstrate damage on removal. Accordingly, presently preferredembodiments of the present disclosure demonstrate effective weightbearing capacity, a stronger adhesion per square inch of availableadhesive area, and peel-removability from a painted drywall substratewithout damage.

Hardgoods

Some embodiments further include a hardgood or mounting device.Exemplary hardgoods or mounting devices include, for example, hooks,knobs, clips, and loops. In some embodiments, the hardgood resembles anail. In some embodiments, the hardgood has a single outward projectionto act as a hanging surface. In some embodiments, the hardgood hasmultiple outward projections to act as a hanging surface. In someembodiments, the hardgood has is molded into a shape that can hold oneor more items within such as but not limited to a box or caddy. In someembodiments, the hardgood is a shelf, ledge, or rack. In someembodiments, the hardgood is a bar wherein the bar can be straight orcurved or substantially a ring wherein the bar can be mounted parallelor normal to the substrate surface. In some embodiments, the hardgooduses multiple methods for mounting or hanging items. Any of thefollowing mounting devices can be used with the adhesive article of thepresent disclosure: Application Matter No. 77486US002 (assigned to thepresent assignee), U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,189 (Luhmann), U.S. Pat. No.5,989,708 (Kreckel), U.S. Pat. No. 8,708,305 (McGreevy), U.S. Pat. No.5,507,464 (Hamerski et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,474 (doCanto et al.),U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,686 (Schumann), U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,864 (Schumann),U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,126 (Johansson, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. D665,653, andU.S. Pat. No. 7,028,958 (Pitzen, et al.), all of which are incorporatedby reference in their entirety herein. The hardgood may be any object tobe mounted to a substrate.

In some embodiments, the hardgood is mounted to the substrate in one ormore places wherein one or more of the mounting locations contain anadhesive article described in this invention. In some embodiments, thehardgood is mounted using a combination of removable article(s) andconventional mechanical fasteners including but not limited to nails,screws, bolts, and rivets.

In some embodiments, the hardgood is made from of thermoplasticpolymers. In some embodiments, the hardgood is made from thermosetpolymers. In some embodiments, the hardgood is made using polyolefinmaterials. In some embodiments, the hardgood is made using polycarbonatematerials. In some embodiments, the hardgood is made using high-impactpolystyrene. In some embodiments, the hardgood is made usingacrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) terpolymers. In some embodiments,the hardgood is made using two or more polymeric materials. In someembodiments, the hardgood is made from metal. In some embodiments, thehardgood is made from stainless steel. In some embodiments, the metal ispainted, glazed, stained, brushed, or coated to alter its appearance. Insome embodiments, the hardgood is made from ceramic. In someembodiments, the hardgood is made from glazed ceramic. In someembodiments, the hardgood is made from unglazed ceramic. In someembodiments, the hardgood is comprised of naturally-based materials suchas wood, bamboo, particle board, cloth, canvas, or derived frombiological sources, and the like. In some embodiments, thenaturally-based materials may be painted, glazed, stained, or coated tochange their appearance. In some embodiments, the hardgood is made usingtwo or more materials from the list above. In some embodiments, thehardgood is made from two pieces that are reversibly or irreversiblyattached, joined, or welded together.

In some embodiments, the hardgood comprises two pieces wherein the firstpiece acts as a mounting surface for attaching the adhesive article to asubstrate, and the second piece acts as a hanging member which may beused for hanging or mounting objects to the substrate. The two piecesmay be reversibly attached using mechanical fasteners, hook and loopmaterials, or an additional adhesive layer.

The hardgood can be made using any method known in the art.

In some embodiments, the peelable adhesive layer(s) and core may beattached to the hardgood using a lamination process. In someembodiments, the peelable adhesive layer(s) and core may be attached tothe hardgood using multiple lamination processes.

In some embodiments, the core may be attached to the hardgood using twoor more injection molding steps in using one or more molds. In someembodiments, the core and/or the peelable adhesive layer(s) may beattached manually by the end user.

Method of Making the Adhesive Articles Described Herein

The adhesive articles described herein can be made in various ways. Oneembodiment involves disposing an adhesive onto or adjacent to a majorsurface of a core. In some embodiments, a second adhesive is disposedonto the other major surface of the core.

The adhesive can be disposed on the core in any known way, including,for example, the pressure sensitive adhesive composition can be coatedonto a release liner, coated directly onto a carrier, or formed as aseparate layer (e.g., coated onto a release liner) and then laminated toa carrier. An adhesive can be deposited onto a core with a knowndeposition method, including e.g., solvent coating methods, water-bornecoating methods, or hot melt coating methods, e.g., knife coating, rollcoating, reverse roll coating, gravure coating, wire wound rod coating,slot orifice coating, slot die coating, extrusion coating, or the like.

Adhesive interfaces may be created within the core, or along one or moreedges of the core, by any of the methods described above or thosedescribed in the Examples below.

Methods of Using the Adhesive Articles Described Herein

The peelable articles of the present disclosure can be used in variousways. In some embodiments, the adhesive article is applied, attached to,or pressed into an adherend. In this way, the adhesive article contactsthe adherend. Where a release liner is present, the release liner isremoved before the adhesive article is applied, attached to, or pressedinto an adherend. In some embodiments, at least a portion of theadherend is wiped with alcohol before the adhesive article is applied,attached to, or pressed into an adherend.

To remove the adhesive article from the adherend, at least a portion ofthe adhesive article is peeled or stretched away from the adherend. Insome embodiments, the angle of stretch is 35° or less. In embodimentswhere a tab is present, the user can grip the tab and use it to releaseor remove the adhesive article from the adherend.

The adhesive articles can be used in isolation, as one of many articlesattached to a surface, or as part of a stack of adhesive articles. Inthe latter implementation, the resulting construction would include aplurality of adhesive articles disposed in vertical relation to oneanother.

Uses

The adhesive articles may be used in wet or high humidity environmentssuch as those found in bathrooms. For example, they can be adhered totoilets (e.g., toilet tanks), bathtubs, sinks, and walls. The adhesivearticle may be used in showers, locker rooms, steam rooms, pools, hottubs, and kitchens (e.g., kitchen sinks, dishwashers and back splashareas, refrigerators and coolers). The adhesive article may also be usedin low temperatures applications including outdoor applications andrefrigerators. Useful outdoor applications include bonding articles suchas signage to outdoor surfaces such as windows, doors and vehicles.

The adhesive articles may be used to mount various items and objects tosurfaces such as painted drywall, plaster, concrete, glass, ceramic,fiberglass, metal or plastic. Items that can be mounted include, but arenot limited to, wall hangings, organizers, holders, baskets, containers,decorations (e.g., holiday decorations), calendars, posters, dispensers,wire clips, body side molding on vehicles, carrying handles, signageapplications such as road signs, vehicle markings, transportationmarkings, and reflective sheeting.

The adhesive articles may be used to mount items and materials, such asanti-slip mats or anti-fatigue mats, to a floor surface or the bottom ofa tub or shower, or to secure items, such as area rugs, to a floor. Theadhesive article can be used in various joining and assemblingapplications including such as adhering at least two containers (e.g.,boxes) for later separation. The adhesive article can be used in variouscushioning and sound deadening applications such as, for example,cushioning materials for placement beneath objects, sound insulatingsheet materials, vibration dampening, and combinations thereof. Theadhesive article can be used in various closure applications includingcontainer closures (e.g., box closures, closures for food containers,and closures for beverage containers), diaper closures, and surgicaldrape closures. The adhesive article can be used in various thermalinsulation applications. The adhesive article can be used in varioussealing applications such as in gaskets for liquids, vapors (e.g.,moisture), and dust. The adhesive article can be used in various labelssuch as removable labels (e.g., notes, price tags, and identificationlabels on containers), and in signage. The adhesive article can be usedin various medical applications (e.g., bandages, wound care, and medicaldevice labeling such as in a hospital setting). The adhesive article canbe used in various fastening applications such as fastening one object(e.g., a vase or other fragile object) to another object (e.g., a tableor a book shelf). The adhesive article can be used in various securingapplications such as fastening one or more components of a lockingmechanism to a substrate (e.g., a child safety lock can be adhered to acabinet or cupboard). The adhesive article can be used in various tamperindicating applications (e.g., tamper indicating articles). The adhesivearticle can also be incorporated in a variety of other constructionsincluding, but not limited to, abrasive articles (e.g., for sanding),articles for sanding and polishing applications (e.g., buffing pads,disc pads, hand pads, and polishing pads), pavement marking articles,carpeting (e.g., backing for carpeting), and electronic devices (e.g.,securing a battery within a housing in a cell phone or PDA (personaldigital assistant) to prevent unwanted movement).

The adhesive article (i.e., those in adhesive tapes or single article)can be provided in any useful form including, e.g., tape, strip, sheet(e.g., perforated sheet), label, roll, web, disc, and kit (e.g., anobject for mounting and the adhesive tape used to mount the object).Likewise, multiple adhesive articles can be provided in any suitableform including, e.g., tape, strip, sheet (e.g., perforated sheet),label, roll, web, disc, kit, stack, tablet, and combinations thereof inany suitable package including, for example, dispenser, bag, box, andcarton.

The need also exists for an adhesive article with desirable opticalproperties that allow it to be used to affix a substrate, such as anoptical lens or cover, to an optical display device, such as a cellulartelephone or portable music player (e.g., MP3 players). In such end useapplications, it can be desirable that the adhesive article be opticallyclear.

Adhesive articles can also be initially repositionable and may even bereusable in some core iterations until one of the adhesive layers losestack. As used herein, “repositionable” means an adhesive article thatcan be applied to a substrate and then removed and reapplied withoutdistorting, defacing, or destroying the adhesive article, or substrate.

EMBODIMENTS

1. An adhesive article comprising: a first peelable adhesive layer; asecond peelable adhesive layer;

a discrete core disposed between the first and second peelableadhesives, and having first and second major surfaces, wherein the coredefines a core plane coincident with the first major surface; and aplurality of adhesive contact areas each comprising an interface betweenthe first and second adhesive layers.

2. The adhesive article of embodiment 1, wherein each interface existsout of the core plane.

3. The adhesive article of embodiments 1 or 2, wherein the core includesa multilayer film.

4. The adhesive article of embodiment 3, wherein the multilayer filmincludes a film core and at least one skin layer.

5. The adhesive article of embodiments 1-4, wherein the core includes adiscontinuous layer of material.

6. The adhesive article of embodiments 1-4, wherein the core includes acontinuous layer of material.

7. The adhesive article of embodiments 1-6, wherein the first adhesivelayer is adhesively bonded to the core.

8. The adhesive article of embodiments 1-7, wherein the core includes anonwoven material.

9. The adhesive article of embodiments 1-8, wherein the core defines aseries of apertures, and wherein each interface is located within anaperture.

10. The adhesive article of embodiment 1, wherein the core includes athird adhesive in contact with the first adhesive, and wherein the peelstrength at each interface is greater than the peel strength between thefirst and third adhesives.

11. The adhesive article of embodiments 1-2, where in the core consistsof a plurality of particles of a size sufficient to prevent contactbetween the first and second adhesive layers.

12. The adhesive article of embodiment 11, wherein the particles areselected from the group consisting of wood, metals, metal oxides,ceramics, and combinations thereof.

13. The adhesive article of embodiment 1, wherein article includes acore interface between the first adhesive layer and the core, andwherein the adhesive bond strength at the adhesive interfaces is greaterthan the adhesive bond strength at the core interface.

14. The adhesive article of any of the previous embodiments, wherein theapplication of force in a direction normal to the core plane results ina loss of structural integrity within the core.

15. The adhesive article of any of the previous embodiments, wherein thecore defines a perimeter, and wherein the adhesive contact areassurround the perimeter.

16. The adhesive article of embodiment 15, wherein the adhesive contactareas include at least one continuous seam extending along a portion ofthe perimeter.

17. The adhesive article of embodiments 1-16, wherein the core defines aperimeter boundary, and wherein the adhesive contact areas are disposedwithin the boundary.

18. An adhesive article for mounting objects, the article comprising: afirst peel release adhesive layer; a second peel release adhesive layer;a core defining a perimeter boundary disposed between the first andsecond adhesive layers; and a plurality of seams extending along atleast a portion of the perimeter boundary, wherein the seams comprise aninterface between the first and second adhesive layers.

19. The adhesive article of embodiment 18, wherein the plurality ofseams includes a seam extending along at least two sides of theboundary.

20. The adhesive article of embodiments 18-19, wherein the plurality ofseams surrounds the boundary.

21. The adhesive article of embodiments 18-20, wherein a shape of theboundary is one of square, rectangular, circular, ovular, andtetrahedral.

22. The adhesive article of embodiments 18-21, wherein the core includesa layer of nonwoven material.

23. The adhesive article of embodiment 22, wherein the core includes arelease layer disposed between the nonwoven material and the firstadhesive layer.

24. The adhesive article of embodiments 18-23, wherein the core definesa plane, the plane being substantially parallel to an interface betweenthe first adhesive layer and the core.

25. The adhesive article of embodiment 24, wherein the 90° DegreeAdhesion Strength of the article is at least 40 oz/in².

26. The adhesive article of embodiments 18-25, wherein the article isadhered to a surface and the first adhesive layer is removed from thesurface at a peel angle of at least 35 degrees, the core does notsubstantially contribute to the peel force.

27. The adhesive article of embodiment 26, wherein the first adhesivelayer is bonded to the core, and wherein removal of the first adhesivelayer from the mounting surfaces results in a debonding of the firstadhesive from the core.

28. The adhesive article of embodiments 18-27, wherein the removal ofthe first adhesive layer from the mounting surface does not result indebonding in at least one of the seams.

29. The adhesive article of embodiment 18, and further comprising arelease liner on a surface of the first adhesive layer opposite thecore.

30. The adhesive article of embodiments 18-29, and further comprising ahardgood on a surface of the first adhesive layer opposite the core.

31. The adhesive article of embodiments 18-29, and further comprising aframe or a poster on a surface of the first adhesive layer opposite thecore.

32. The adhesive article of embodiments 18-29, wherein the core has atensile and/or elastic modulus of between about 50 psi and about 5000psi as measured according to ASTM D638.

33. The adhesive article of embodiment 18, wherein the core is opticallyclear.

34. The adhesive article of embodiment 18, wherein the core includes amultilayer film comprising: a core layer comprising at least one of anelastomeric material, an elastomeric polymer, SEBS, SEPS, SIS, SBS,polyurethane, ethyl vinylacetate (EVA), ethyl methyl acrylate (EMA)ultra low linear density polyethylene (ULLDPE), hydrogenatedpolypropylene, and combinations or blends thereof; and a first skinlayer comprising at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, highdensity polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear lowdensity polyethylene (LLDPE), a polyurethane, EVA, EMA, an adhesive, andcombinations or blends thereof.

35. An adhesive article for mounting an object to a surface, the articlecomprising: a first adhesive layer; a second adhesive layer; a coredefining a perimeter, the core disposed between the first adhesive layerand the second adhesive layer; and a plurality of adhesive contactareas, wherein the adhesive contact areas comprise an interface betweenthe first and second adhesive layers, and wherein the adhesive contactareas are located within the perimeter of the core.

36. The adhesive article of embodiment 35, wherein the core includes anonwoven.

37. The adhesive article of embodiment 35, wherein the core comprises aplurality of particles of a size sufficient to prevent a portion of thefirst and second adhesive layers from establishing an interface.

38. The adhesive article of embodiment 35, wherein the core includes anaperture, and the wherein at least one of the adhesive contact areas islocated within the aperture.

39. The adhesive article of any of the preceding embodiments, where theadhesive article releases from a surface of an adherend when the articleis peeled at an angle of about 35° or greater from the adherend surface.

40. The adhesive article of any of the preceding embodiments, whereinthe adhesive article removes from an adherend damage-free.

41. The adhesive article of embodiment 35, wherein at least the firstadhesive layer debonds from the core when the adhesive article isremoved at an angle of greater than 35 degrees, and wherein the firstadhesive layer does not debond from the second adhesive layer at each ofthe interfaces when the adhesive article is removed at an angle ofgreater than 35 degrees.

42. The adhesive article of any of the preceding embodiments, whereinthe peelable adhesive includes at least one of SBS, SBR, SIS, SEBS,acrylate, and/or polyurethane.

43. The adhesive article of any of the preceding embodiments, whereinthe peelable adhesive includes at least one of the following tackifiers:polyterpene, terpene phenol, rosin esters, hydrocarbons, C5 resins, C9resins, and/or rosin acids.

44. The adhesive article of any of the preceding embodiments, whereinthe peelable adhesive includes at least one of an acrylate, apolyurethane, a tackified rubber adhesives, such as natural rubber;olefins; silicones, such as silicone polyureas; synthetic rubberadhesives such as polyisoprene, polybutadiene, andstyrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene andstyrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, SBR, SEBS, and othersynthetic elastomers; and tackified or untackified acrylic adhesivessuch as copolymers of isooctylacrylate and acrylic acid, which can bepolymerized by radiation, solution, suspension, or emulsion techniques;polyurethanes; silicone block copolymers; and combinations thereof.

45. An object for mounting to a surface, the object comprising: ahardgood having a first major surface; a discrete core defining a firstsurface in contact with the hardgood and a second surface opposing thefirst surface; an adhesive layer bonded to both the first major surfaceof the hardgood and the second surface of the core, wherein the peelrelease force necessary to remove the adhesive from the hardgood isgreater than peel release force necessary to at least one of debond theadhesive from the core or cause delamination of the core.

46. The mounting object of embodiment 45, wherein the hardgood includesat least one of a hook, a knob, a clip, a caddy, a box, and/or a loop.

47. A method of using an adhesive article, comprising: contacting theadhesive article of any of embodiments 1-46 with an adherend surface.

48. The method of embodiment 47, further comprising: peeling theadhesive article from the adherend surface to remove at least a portionof the adhesive article from the adherend surface, where the adhesivearticle is peeled at an angle of 35° or greater.

49. The method of embodiment 48, wherein the structural integrity of thecore is compromised during the step of peeling the adhesive article fromthe adhered surface.

50. The method of embodiment 48 or 49, wherein the peeling the adhesivearticle from the adhered surface causes the first adhesive layer todebond from the core.

51. The method of the above embodiments 48-50, wherein first adhesivelayer remains bonded to the second adhesive layer at the adhesivecontact area during as the adhesive article is peeled.

The following examples describe some exemplary constructions and methodsof constructing various embodiments within the scope of the presentapplication. The following examples are intended to be illustrative, butthe particular materials and amounts thereof recited in these examples,as well as other conditions and details, should not be construed tounduly limit this disclosure.

EXAMPLES

TABLE 1 Material and supplier information Material Description SupplierMultilayer KRATON Styrene-Ethylene- KRATON Film G1657 Butylene-StyrenePerformance Block Polymers, Inc., Copolymer Houston, TX (SEBS) ENGAGE8450 Ethylene-Octene Dow Chemical Polyolefin Copolymer Co., Midland MIElastomer Other Core 3M Secondary PET Liner with 3M Company, MaterialsRelease proprietary silicone- St. Paul MN Liner 5002 based releasecoating Nonwoven Spun-bond 3M Company, Web Polypropylene St. Paul MNNonwoven NIKELODEON Satellite Blue, NSI International, GALACTICPolyvinyl(alcohol) Inc., New York, GAK based hydrogel NY SMOOTH-ONAerosol release spray Smooth-On, Inc., Universal Mold Release Macungie,PA K37 Glass 45-micron soda-lime- 3M Company, Bubbles borosilicatehollow St. Paul MN glass microspheres Rubber- KRATON Radial Styrene-KRATON based D1184 Butadiene Block Performance Adhesive Copolymer (SBS)Polymers, Inc., Houston, TX SOLPRENE Styrene-Butadiene DynasolElastomers, 1205 Rubber (SBR) Houston, TX POLYSTER Terpene phenolicYasuhara Chemical T160 resin Company, (YS T160) Ltd., Fuchu- city,Hiroshima, Japan

Test Methods Lap Shear (0° Peel) Adhesion Strength Test

The peel adhesion strength and removability were evaluated by thefollowing method. Test constructions were applied to adherends by handunder moderate pressure (roughly 5 pounds) for 5 seconds. Adheredsamples were aged at 72° F. (22° C.), 50% relative humidity for 3 claysbefore testing Immediately preceding the test, the adhesiveconstruction's remaining liner was removed and a stainless steel shim(6″×2″×0.031″, obtained from ChemInstruments, West Chester Township,Ohio) was applied to the top adhesive surface with moderate pressure(roughly 5 pounds) for 5 seconds, Exposed edges of the adherend andstainless steels him were placed in opposing clamps on the INSTRONuniversal testing machine. The shear tests were conducted with anINSTRON universal testing machine with a crosshead speed of 12 in/min(30.5 cm/min) until the construction removed from the adherend surface.The load cell force was recorded as a function of crossheaddisplacement. Four replicates were tested for each sample.

90° Peel Adhesion Strength Test

The peel adhesion strength and removability were evaluated by thefollowing method. Test constructions were applied to adherends by handunder moderate pressure (roughly 5 pounds) for 5 seconds, Adheredsamples were aged at 72° F. (22° C.), 50% relative humidity for 3 daysbefore testing. Immediately preceding the test, the adhesiveconstruction's remaining liner was removed and an aluminum t-bar(Aluminum 6061-T6 bare t-bar 1.5″×1.5″×0.25″ cut to 1.5″, OnlineMetals,Seattle Wash.) was applied to the top adhesive surface with moderatepressure (roughly 5 pounds) for 5 seconds. The adherend was clamped to aflat surface and the aluminum t-bar was placed in the top clamp of anINSTRON universal testing machine. The peel tests were conducted with anINSTRON universal testing machine with a crosshead. speed of 12 in min(30.5 cm/min) until the construction removed from the adherend surface.The load cell force was recorded as a function of crossheaddisplacement. If any adhesive remained on the adherend, it was removedby hand to better observe damage level. Four replicates were tested foreach sample. The damage visual evaluation was as follows: 0-no damage,1-small paint bubble (less than 10% of surface area), 2-large paintbubble (great than 10% of surface area), 3-small paper tear, 4-Papertear/damage (<50%), 5-Paper tear damage (>50%). Two replicates weretested for each sample.

Weight Hanging Test

Test constructions were applied first to 1.25 in. by 1.35 in. injectionmolded polycarbonate hooks, each hook having a thickness of 30 mils andof the type depicted in FIG. 11, by hand under moderate pressure(roughly 5 pounds) for 5 seconds. The hook and adhesive construction wasthen applied to the adherend by hand under moderate pressure (roughly 5pounds for 5 seconds) such that the hook was positioned at the bottom ofthe construction allow the hanging of weights. A plastic bag containingsteel shot (0.5 pounds) was suspended from the hook immediately afterapplication to the wallboard adherend. Samples were observed after 1,24, 48, and 72 hours of hanging and failures were recorded at each timepoint. All samples were tested in 3 replicates except Example 9 whichhad 2 replicates. The performance value is an average of the hang timefor all replicates of a given example such that the maximum performancevalue would be 72 hours and the minimum would be 0 hours.

Determination of Peak Force

The peak force for each of the adhesion strength tests was determinedfrom the raw data output from INSTRON Bluehill 3 software, whichrecorded crosshead displacement and force (oz). The peak force was thendivided by the active adhesive area to obtain a force (ounces) per unitearea (square inches).

Test Adherends

Drywall panels (obtained from Materials Company, Metzger Building, St.Paul, Minn.) were painted Sherwin-Williams DURATION Interior AcrylicLatex Ben Bone White Paint (Sherwin-Williams Company, Cleveland, Ohio)for peel tests and Behr Premium Plus Ultra Flat Egyptian Nile Paint &Primer in One Interior Paint (Behr Process Corporation, Santa Ana,Calif.) for weight hanging tests. Procedure for painting: a first coatof paint was applied to a panel by paint roller, followed by air dryingfor approximately 1 hour at ambient conditions. A second coat of paintwas applied and dried at ambient conditions for at least 7 days atambient conditions before use.

Examples 1-9 and Comparative Examples 1-4 and Controls 1-2

TABLE 2 Example Constructions Active Adhesive Seam Adhesive ExampleAdhesive Geometry Core Geometry Construction Area Control 1 Adhesive 11″ × 1″ Nonwoven None 1″ Control 2 Adhesive 1 1″ × 1″ None Continuous,1″ Planar Example 1 Adhesive 1 1.25″ × 1.25″ Nonwoven Perimeter Die cut,Place 1″ Core, Seal Example 2 Adhesive 2 1.25″ × 1.25″ NonwovenPerimeter Die cut, Place 1″ Core, Seal Example 3 Adhesive 1 1.25″ ×1.25″ Multilayer Film Perimeter Die cut, Place 1″ coated in ReleaseCore, Seal Spray Example 4 Adhesive 1 1.25″ × 1.25″ NICKELODEONPerimeter Die cut, Place 1″ GAK Core, Seal Example 5 Adhesive 1 1.25″ ×1.25″ Glass Bubbles Perimeter Die cut, Place 1″ Core, Seal Example 6Adhesive 1 1.25″ × 1.25″ Secondary Perimeter Die cut, Place 1″ ReleaseLiner Core, Seal 5002 Example 7 Adhesive 1 1″ × 1″ Nonwoven 9-circle Diecut, Punch, 1″ Place Core, Laminate Example 8 Adhesive 2 1″ × 1″Nonwoven 9-circle Die cut, Punch, 1″ Laminate Example 9 Adhesive 1 1.25″× 1.25″ Multi-layer Perimeter and Die cut, Laminate 1″ Release Liner9-circle parts, Punch, Place Construction Core, Seal Comparative GLUDOTS Removable Dot N′ Go Dispenser ⅜″ Diameter Circles 0.44″ Example 1Comparative VELCRO Hanging Strip, Die Cut 1 × 1″ Tape with ⅞″ Coin 0.60″Example 2 Comparative FOREVER IN TIME 3D Pop Dots, ½″ Circles  0.785″Example 3 Comparative UGLU Glue Strips, Die Cut to 1″ × 1″ Tape 1″  Example 4

Multilayer Film

The multilayer film used in Examples was prepared by coextruding a sheetof elastomeric core material together with two skin layers, one oneither side of the elastomeric core layer, using a continuouscoextrusion process like that described for Example 3 in U.S. Pat. No.5,501,679. Details of the multilayer film construction are provided inTable 3. The film is similar to Example 16 from PCT PublicationWO2017/136432

TABLE 3 Multilayer Film Construction Core Skin Core Layer Total CoreSkin Layer Layer to Skin Film Layer Layer Thickness Thickness LayerThickness Material Material (μm) (μm) Ratio (μm) KRATON ENGAGE 455.316.7 27/1 495 1657 8450

Nonwoven Web

A nonwoven web was obtained from 3M Company, St. Paul Minn., of thegeneral type described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,162,153. The web was aspunbond web with a basis weight of 65 grams per square meter and anEffective Fiber Diameter (as defined and described in the '153 patent)of 18.40 μm.

Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Compositions

Adhesive 1: A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition was preparedhaving a 15:85 ratio of KRATON D1184 to SOLPRENE 1205 as the elastomercomponent and 35 parts of total tackifier component based on 100 partsof total elastomer. All of the components were added to a glass jaralong with toluene to make a solution of approximately 30% solids. Thejar was sealed and the contents thoroughly mixed by placing the jar on aroller at about 2-6 rpm for at least 24 hours prior to coating.

Adhesive 2: A silicone polyurea block copolymer based pressure-sensitiveadhesive composition was prepared according to the method described forExample 28 in U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,521, except that the composition wasprepared to have the weight % MQ resin amount of 50.

Preparation of Transfer Adhesives

Adhesive 1: The pressure sensitive adhesive compositions above wereknife-coated onto a paper liner web having a silicone release surface.The paper liner web speed was 2.75 meter/min. After coating, the web waspassed through an oven 11 meters long (residence time 4 minutes total)having three temperature zones. The temperature in zone 1 (2.75 meter)was 57° C.; temperature in zone 2 (2.75 meter) was 71° C.; temperaturein zone 3 (about 5.5 meter) was 82° C. The caliper of the dried adhesivewas approximately 2.0 mils thick. Transfer adhesives were then stored atambient conditions.

Adhesive 2: Pressure sensitive adhesive compositions were knife-coatedonto a paper liner web having a silicone release surface. The paperliner web speed was 2.75 meter/min. After coating, the web was passedthrough an oven 11 meters long (residence time 4 minutes total) havingthree temperature zones. The temperature in zone 1 (2.75 meter) was 57°C.; temperature in zone 2 (2.75 meter) was 80° C.; temperature in zone 3(about 5.5 meter) was 93° C. The caliper of the dried adhesive wasapproximately 2.5-3.0 mils thick. The transfer adhesives were thenstored at ambient conditions.

Preparation of Adhesive Article Constructions

Control 1: One side of a nonwoven webs (approximately 6″×12″) was coronatreated. Adhesive on liner was hand-laminated onto the surface and thenpassed through a roll laminator at a speed of approximately 12 inchesper minute at a pressure of 40 PSI. The second (exposed) side of thenonwoven web was then corona treated and adhesive on liner washand-laminated and passed through the roll laminator under the sameconditions. Finally, the entire construction was sent through the rolllaminator under 100 PSI at a rate of 12 inches per minute. 1″×1″ squareadhesive constructions were die-cut from the assembled laminate.

Control 2: Adhesive was placed between liners and die-cut to 1″×1″squares. One liner was removed such that one side of the adhesive squarewas exposed and two squares were hand-laminated together.

Examples 1-6

Adhesive was placed between liners and die-cut to 1.25″×1.25″ squares.One liner was removed such that 1 side of the adhesive square wasexposed. The core material (see below) was centered on the exposedadhesive such as to leave a 0.125″ border of exposed adhesive around theperimeter of the construction. A second adhesive square was thenlaminated on top and hand-sealed such that the 0.125″ border formed aseam around the core.

-   -   Examples 1 and 2: 1″×1″ die-cut nonwoven squares    -   Example 3: Multilayer film coated with SMOOTH-ON release spray        (applied according to manufacturer specifications)    -   Example 4: 1.0 gram of GAK was cooled in a freezer (−10° F.) and        then shaped to an approximately 1″×1″ square before sealing        between adhesives    -   Example 5: 0.05 grams of glass bubbles were placed in the center        of the adhesive square and spread out to cover approximately        1″×1″ square before sealing between adhesives.    -   Example 6: 1″×1″ squares were die cut from the release liner        material. Two pieces of release liner were stacked such that the        release-coated sides were opposing each other and facing the        adhesive surfaces.

Examples 7-8

Adhesive was placed between liners and die-cut to 1″×1″ squares.Nonwoven core material was punched by hand with a 1/16″ hollow punchsuch that 1/16″ gaps formed in the core material. Gaps were spaced ⅜″center-center at a density of 9 holes per core. One liner was removedsuch that 1 side of the adhesive square was exposed. The core materialwas laminated between adhesives layers by hand such that the die-cutholes formed seams.

Example 9

Adhesive was placed between liners and die-cut to 1.25″×1.25″ squaresand 1″×1″ squares. Core material was constructed by die cutting 1″×1″squares from 3M secondary release liner 5002 and then laminating a stackof 1″×1″ liner—1″×1″ adhesive—1″×1″ liner such that the non-releaseportions faced inwards toward the 1″×1″ adhesive square and the releasesurface faced outwards. The 3-layer core was punched by hand with a1/16″ hollow punch such that 1/16″ gaps formed in the core material.Gaps were spaced ⅜″ center-center at a density of 9 holes per core. Oneliner was removed such that 1 side of the 1.25″×1.25″ adhesive squarewas exposed. The core material was laminated between 1.25″×1.25″adhesives layers by hand such that the die-cut holes formed seams.

Comparative Examples 1-4: Samples were applied to the adherendas-received in a format that most closely resembled a 1″×1″ squarefootprint.

TABLE 4 Lap Shear (0° Peel) Adhesion Strength Test Data Average of MaxLoad Example (oz/in²) Control 1 11.7 Control 2 181.2 1 22.7 2 13.4 313.8 4 16.6 5 15.3 6 28.8 7 35.0 8 17.7 9 56.4 Comparative 49.6 Example1 Comparative 242.7 Example 2 Comparative 419.5 Example 3 Comparative62.6 Example 4

TABLE 5 90° Peel Adhesion Strength Test Data Average Average of Ratio ofMax Damage Lap Load Visual Shear: Example (oz/in²) rating (0 to 5) 90°Peel Control 1 15.1 0 0.77 Control 2 296.5 3 0.61 1 113.9 0 0.20 2 31.40 0.43 3 105.2 0 0.13 4 134.1 0 0.12 5 17.6 0 0.87 6 186.6 0 0.15 7132.6 0 0.26 8 45.2 0 0.39 9 165.7 0 0.34 Comparative 231.7 3.25 0.21Example 1 Comparative 103.3 2 2.35 Example 2 Comparative 525.7 1.75 0.80Example 3 Comparative 576.5 5 0.11 Example 4

TABLE 6 Weight Hanging Test Data Average Time Hanging 2 lbs Example(hours) Control 1 8 Control 2 72 1 25 2 9 3 48 4 0 5 72 6 72 7 56 8 1 972 Comparative Ex. 1 0 Comparative Ex. 2 72 Comparative Ex. 3 1Comparative Ex. 4 72

Lap shear gives an indication of the force required for an article tofail in shear. The data shows that a solid slab of adhesive (Control 2)gives the highest values for a given adhesive composition, but causesdamage. The presence of a core as described in the invention provides adamage-free release but at the expense of shear strength. The presenceof a core and a seam (Examples 1-9) improves the shear performance whilemaintaining a damage-free peel removal between two rigid surfaces. Bycontrast, the Comparative Examples each cause damage while showingvarying degrees of shear performance. The weight hanging test data showthe composition of the core and the format of the seam can both be tunedto affect the weight hanging performance.

The recitation of all numerical ranges by endpoint is meant to includeall numbers subsumed within the range (i.e., the range 1 to 10 includes,for example, 1, 1.5, 3.33, and 10).

The patents, patent documents, and patent applications cited herein areincorporated by reference in their entirety as if each were individuallyincorporated by reference. It will be apparent to those of ordinaryskill in the art that various changes and modifications may be madewithout deviating from the inventing concepts set from above. Thus, thescope of the present disclosure should not be limited to the structuresdescribed herein. Those having skill in the art will appreciate thatmany changes may be made to the details of the above-describedembodiments and implementations without departing from the underlyingprinciples thereof. Further, various modifications and alterations ofthe present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scopeof the present application should, therefore, be determined only by thefollowing claims and equivalents thereof.

We claim:
 1. An adhesive article comprising: a first peelable adhesivelayer; a second peelable adhesive layer; a discrete core disposedbetween the first and second peelable adhesives, and having a firstmajor surface, a second major surface, and a thickness, wherein the coredefines a core plane coincident with the first major surface; and aplurality of adhesive contact areas each comprising an interface betweenthe first and second adhesive layers, wherein the core defines anarranged pattern of apertures, and wherein each interface is locatedwithin an aperture.
 2. The adhesive article of claim 1, wherein eachinterface exists out of the core plane.
 3. The adhesive article of claim1, wherein the first peelable adhesive layer is adhesively bonded to thecore.
 4. The adhesive article of claim 1, wherein the core includes anonwoven material.
 5. The adhesive article of claim 1, wherein at leastthe first adhesive layer debonds from the core when the adhesive articleis removed at an angle of greater than 35 degrees, and wherein the firstadhesive layer does not debond from the second adhesive layer at each ofthe interfaces when the adhesive article is removed at an angle ofgreater than 35 degrees.
 6. The adhesive article of claim 1, where inthe apertures extend through the thickness of the core material.
 7. Theadhesive article of claim 1, wherein the apertures comprise a series ofchannels.
 8. The adhesive article of claim 1, wherein each apertureincludes a largest cross-sectional dimension at an opening of theaperture, and wherein the largest cross-sectional dimension is at least0.5 millimeters and no greater than 80 millimeters.
 9. The adhesivearticle of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and secondpeelable adhesive layers is coupled to the core after apertures havebeen created in a core material.
 10. The adhesive article of claim 1,wherein the first and second adhesive layers do not occupy all availablevolume within a given aperture.
 11. The adhesive article of claim 1,wherein at least one aperture of the arranged pattern of apertures doesnot include an adhesive interface.
 12. The adhesive article of claim 1,wherein the pitch between adjacent apertures is at least 0.5 millimetersand no greater than 70 millimeters.
 13. The adhesive article of claim 1,wherein article includes a core interface between the first adhesivelayer and the core in interstitial spaces between apertures, and whereinthe adhesive bond strength at the adhesive interfaces is greater thanthe adhesive bond strength at the core interface.
 14. The adhesivearticle of claim 1, wherein the application of force in a directionnormal to the core plane results in a loss of structural integritywithin the core.
 15. An object for mounting to a surface, the objectcomprising: a hardgood having a first major surface; a discrete coredefining a first surface in contact with the hardgood and a secondsurface opposing the first surface; an adhesive layer bonded to both thefirst major surface of the hardgood and the second surface of the core,wherein the peel release force necessary to remove the adhesive from thehardgood is greater than peel release force necessary to at least one ofdebond the adhesive from the core or cause delamination of the core. 16.The mounting object of claim 15, wherein the hardgood includes at leastone of a hook, a knob, a clip, a caddy, a box, and/or a loop.
 17. Themounting object of claim 15, wherein the core includes a thickness anddefines a core plane coincident with the first major surface; andwherein the core defines an arranged pattern of apertures.
 18. Themounting object of claim 17 and further comprising a second adhesivelayer bonded to at least a portion of the second surface of the core.19. The mounting object of claim 18, wherein the second adhesive layercontacts the first adhesive layer to form an adhesive interface in atleast one of the apertures.
 20. A method of using an adhesive article,comprising: contacting the adhesive article of claim 1 with an adherendsurface; and peeling the adhesive article from the adherend surface toremove at least a portion of the adhesive article from the adherendsurface, where the adhesive article is peeled at an angle of 35° orgreater, wherein the structural integrity of the core is compromisedduring the step of peeling the adhesive article from the adheredsurface.